Bhubaneswar/Phulbani: An encounter took place between Maoists and security forces in Odisha’s Boudh district Thursday, a senior police officer said.
According to ADG (Operation) Dev Datta Singh the encounter between the security personnel and Maoists started at about noon and continued till evening at Nalikumbha forest. However, there was no report of any injury.
The Maoists opened fire at the Special Operation Group (SOG) and district voluntary force (DVF) personnel while they were conducting a combing operation in the area.
Singh said the security personnel returned the fire leading to a gun battle. However, there was no report of any casualty so far and search operation was going on, the ADG said.
Meanwhile, a report from Phulbani said that two members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) surrendered before police in the presence of DGP SK Bansal, who was on a tour to Kandhamal district.
The two Maoists, natives of neighbouring Chhattishgarh, with several cases against them surrendered before the DGP. They were identified as Ranjit Naitam and Unga Poyam. The two had been associated with the Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division of the Odisha State Committee of the CPI (Maoist) Association since 2017 and are involved in several violent activities, the DGP said.
Earlier in the day, Maoist posters opposing mining projects and companies in tribal-dominated regions were found at Mandibishi village in Rayagada district.
The posters and banners appealed to local people to protest against the atrocities and punish company brokers.
PTI