Bhubaneswar, Dec. 26 -- In a major counter-insurgency operation, security forces killed senior Maoist leader Ganesh Uike along with three other armed cadres during an exchange of fire in Kandhamal district, police said on Thursday.

Uike, a Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), was among the most wanted insurgent commanders operating in the region and was carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 1.10 crore.

According to reports, the encounter took place in the Chakapada police station area after security forces received specific intelligence about the presence of Maoists hiding in the forested terrain.

Acting on the inputs, a joint operation was launched involving the Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force...