Raipur, June 6 -- Senior Maoist leader Gautam alias Sudhakar was killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, police officials said on Thursday, days after CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70) was shot dead in a separate operation. A joint operation of personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) was launched following specific inputs about the presence of senior Maoists leaders in the Indravati National Park area of the district, the officials said. "The intelligence had indicated the presence of Gautam alias Sudhakar, Telangana State Committee member Bandi Prakash, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee member Papa Rao, and other armed Maoists in the dense forest zone," Bastar range inspector general of police Sunderaj P said. A large cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the spot along with an AK-47 rifle. P13...