In a welcome gesture in the conflict-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the state police deployed a chopper to rescue an injured Maoist leader for treatment on Monday.

“Hemchand Maravi, a Maoist leader who was injured in an encounter two days ago in Kondagaon district, was arrested by the district police today. He had sustained two bullet injuries during the encounter. To save his life, we have deployed an MI-17 helicopter to Kondagaon which will ferry him to Raipur for treatment,” Mr. Deepanshu Kabra, Inspector General (IG) of Police, Anti Naxal Operation (ANO), Chhattisgarh told The Hindu.

Hemchand Maravi was injured in an encounter near Timdi village of Kondagaon on Saturday.

Police had claimed to have killed six Maoists in the encounter and had recovered two dead bodies of uniformed woman Maoists.

“Hemchand Maravi belongs to Parvi village in Rajnandgaon district. He has admitted that Kuvamari LOS (Local Operating Squad) commander of Maoists Rainu Dugga also sustained bullet injuries in Saturday’s encounter. Hemchand Maravi is being shifted to Raipur on humanitarian ground. Many more recoveries and revelations are expected from him,” said Bastar range Inspector General of Police, Mr. S.R. Kalluri.

Mr. Kabra said the chopper would be reaching Kondagaon soon and all efforts would be made to provide timely treatment to the injured Maoist leader.