Malkangiri: Malkangiri police Monday arrested 36 persons from Nabarangpur city of the district and Kotpad area of Koraput district on charge of killing a home-guard at Chaulamendi forest under Mathili police limits Sunday.
Sources said that a home-guard Banabasi Maharana died in Malkangiri Sunday morning after being attacked by cannabis smugglers during an operation by the police. The incident took place near Chaulimendi area under Balimela police limits of Malkangiri district.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Balimela police including the home-guard conducted a search operation near Chaulimendi area in the wee hours of Sunday. The police were informed that more than 70 ganja smugglers were ferrying hundreds of contraband packets to the border of Chhattisgarh in some vehicles.
When police reached the spot, the smugglers had already loaded the cannabis in more than 20 mini trucks and had started their journey. However, police intercepted them near Chaulimendi.
The smugglers attacked the outnumbered cops with sharp weapons and the cops retaliated. That said, the miscreants successfully managed to escape from the place. Meanwhile, home-guard Banabasi Maharana sustained grievous injuries in the incident.
Though Maharana was rescued and rushed to Mathili Hospital, he succumbed to the injuries, police said.
PNN