Wayanad (Kerala), March 7 -- A suspected Maoist leader, who has a slew of cases against him, was killed early on Thursday morning in an exchange of fire with police personnel which lasted for several hours, officials said.

The gunfight started on Wednesday night and went on till early Thursday morning, they said.

"A resident of Malappuram district, C P Jaleel was killed during the exchange of fire between Maoists and the police. A country-made firing weapon was found next to his body," Kannur Range IG Balram Kumar Upadhyay told PTI.

He said the force was on full alert after there was an intelligence report on the movement of Maoists in hilly Wayanad district which shares border with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

"Two members of the gang r...