Phulbani: Four Maoists have been killed Wednesday in an encounter with security personnel in Kandhamal district, a senior police officer said. The encounter took place in a forest near Sirki village under Belghar police limits. Personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) were conducting a combing operation in the area when they came across a group of red rebels.
Police said the so far four bodies of Maoists have been recovered. The toll may rise as combing operation is still on within the forest.
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Acting on a tip-off, the security forces had launched a combing operation on the border areas of Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts, September 8. It was Wednesday they stumbled upon the Maoist camp following which the shootout began.
The Maoists fired at the SOG and DVF men after noticing them and the security personnel retaliated. In the exchange of fire four Maoists were gunned down, Odisha Police said in a statement.
“The exchange of fire lasted for around 30 minutes, during which four Maoists were neutralised and a SOG jawan suffered injuries. He has been shifted to a hospital. Some more teams of SOG, DVF and CRPF have been sent to the area for combing and search operations,” the statement added.
It should be stated here that in another combing operation July 5 at Sirla reserve forest area under Tumudibandha police limits in the district, security personnel had killed five Maoists and busted a camp there.
PNN