Phulbani: A Maoist was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Budanai reserve forest area of Odisha’s Kandhamal district Friday, police said.
On receipt of an intelligence input, an operation was launched in the forest area October 23 and it continued till Friday.
During the operation, an exchange of fire between the SOG and Naxals erupted this morning at around 9 am on Friday.
Following the encounter by elite Special Operation Group, the security personnel searched the area and recovered the body of a Maoist cadre along with one AK-47 rifle, the police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the deceased was a senior ranked cadre of CPI(Maoist) belonging to the Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh Division of the outfit, the police said.
Further search of the area and operation is under progress, they said.
Director General of Police Y B Khurania has congratulated Kandhamal police, intelligence directorate and operational headquarters for the achievement.
From January, five Maoists have been killed by security forces in Odisha.
PTI