Wanted Maoist killed in gunfight with forces in Odisha
Police officials said the deceased, Rabindra, a senior member of Bargarh-Balangir Maoist committee, had a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head
A Maoist cadre with ₹5 lakh prize money on his head was gunned down during an exchange of fire with Odisha Police at Padampur area of Bargarh district on Friday morning.
Police officials said the deceased, Rabindra, a senior member of Bargarh-Balangir Maoist committee, was killed in a gunfight with Special Operations Group (SOG) jawans and state police at Jhanj Reserve Forest of Ganjaguda area under Padampur sub-division of Bargarh. A cache of arms and ammunitions, including an AK-47 rifle, was recovered near his body.
State DGP Abhay said a group of Maoists was spotted during a combing operation and it fired at the cops. The latter retaliated and Rabindra died in the exchange of fire.
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“I urge all the Maoists to shun violence and return to mainstream. I appeal to them to join various rehabilitation schemes of the state government,” said Abhay.
This is the third such case this year in which Maoists have been killed in Odisha. In April, a 30-year-old woman Maoist was killed in an exchange of fire with SOG and District Voluntary Force team at Pangabaju reserve forest of Kalahandi district. The Maoist was part of KKBN division. Maoists also blasted an Improvised Explosive Device on the spot.
In January, a combined team of SOG and District Voluntary Force killed a suspected Maoist in a forest in Malkangiri district.