Maoist killed in Odisha’s Kandhamal in gunfight with security personnel

Kandhamal Police said the gunfight took place in the Kamberikia forest area of the district on Saturday

Published on: Feb 4, 2024, 11:14:50 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: A top Maoist cadre was shot dead by security personnel in the forests of Odisha’s Kandhamal district during an exchange of fire on Saturday, officials aware of the matter said.

The deceased, whose identity is yet to be known, belonged to Chhattisgarh, said officials. He was a divisional committee member of the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division.

Kandhamal Police said the gunfight took place in the Kamberikia forest area of the district on Saturday.

“We had an intelligence input and conducted a search operation in the forest when we came under fire from a group of Maoists,” said an officer.

A security personnel was also injured in the gunfight and admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur town, said police.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More