NAGPUR, Feb. 7 -- In a major breakthrough, the Gadchiroli police on Friday gunned down seven suspected Maoists, including a senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), during a prolonged encounter in the district's remote forest area. A police constable was also killed in action, while a civilian sustained bullet injuries in the three-day operation, officers aware of the operation said. According to police officers, the encounter began during an intelligence-based operation launched by the C-60 unit, the district's elite anti-Naxalite force, in the forested region near Phodewada - the last village of Gadchiroli district bordering the Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh, some 450 kms from Nagpur. The operation began on February 3 and continued intermittently for three days, the officers said. Inspector General of Police Sandip Patil said that personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its Rapid Response Team later joined the C-60 squad, intensifying the operation. Sporadic exchanges of fire with the Maoists continued since Tuesday evening, resulting in the killing of seven ultras - four men and three women. Among those killed was Prabhakar (55), a senior member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of the CPI (Maoist) and in-charge of its western region. He also headed the Company No. 10 of the outfit and carried a reward of Rs.24 lakh on his head. Prabhakar was a native of Kamareddy district in Telangana. During the encounter, C-60 jawan Deepak Chinna Madavi (38), a resident of Mandra (Damarancha) village in Aheri taluka of Gadchiroli, sustained critical injuries. He was airlifted to Bhamragad but succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Another civilian, identified as Joga Madavi of Kishtayapalli village, suffered a bullet injury and is undergoing treatment. His condition is stated to be stable, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal said. IG Patil said the bodies of all seven Maoists were brought to the Gadchiroli Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination by Friday evening. Police also recovered a cache of arms from the encounter site, including three AK-47 rifles and one self-loading rifle (SLR).htc...