Malkangiri: A District Voluntary Force (DVF) jawan was killed while another sustained injuries in an exchange of fire between the security forces and Maoists in this district late Tuesday night, police said.
The martyred jawan has been identified as Jairam Kabasi and the injured one as Ram Durua. The injured man has been sent to Visakhapatnam for treatment.
According to police SP Hrushikesh D. Khilari, the operation was carried out acting on specific intelligence inputs that suggested the presence of Maoists in the forest Tuesday night. It took place in Bonda Ghati, a hilly area with forest cover, under Mudulipada police station limits.
A group of Maoists, positioned atop the hill, opened fire at the SOG and DVF men after noticing them and the security personnel retaliated. In the exchange of fire, a DVF person was killed and another was seriously injured. Several Maoists are also suspected to have sustained injuries in the incident.
Two rifles, a huge cache of ammunition and other materials were recovered from the site, police said.
Border Security Force (BSF) commandoes have been pressed into service in the area and combing operations have been intensified, the SP said.
PNN