Four Maoists killed in gunfight with security forces in Odisha’s Kandhamal district

Inspector general of police (anti-Maoist operations) Amitabh Thakur said based on intelligence inputs, a team of Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force policemen of Kandhamal district went on a combing operation at Sirla forest near Tumudibandh area of Kandhamal district on early Sunday morning.

At least four Maoists including two women were killed in an encounter with policemen of district Voluntary Force in Odisha’s Kandhamal district in a forest early Sunday morning.

Arms and ammunition recovered after four Maoists were gunned down during an exchange of fire with security forces in a dense forest, in Kandhamal district on July 5, 2020. (PTI Photo)

Inspector general of police (anti-Maoist operations) Amitabh Thakur said based on intelligence inputs, a team of Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force policemen of Kandhamal district went on a combing operation at Sirla forest near Tumudibandh area of Kandhamal district on early Sunday morning. In the encounter that ensued, four Maoists were killed.

“While the search operation was going on, the police team saw a large group of Maoists camping in the jungle area. Police party tried to approach them but they came under heavy fire from the Maoist side. When the police asked them to surrender they continued to fire and also lobbed grenades. When police fired back, the Maoists escaped taking cover of dense forest cover,” said Thakur. There were around 35-40 armed Maoists in the camp when the encounter happened.