Two Maoists killed in Odisha encounter

One INSAS rifle, one SLR rifle,several rounds of bullets, Maoist literature and kit bags were recovered from the encounter spot

A joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Odisha Police killed two Maoists, including a woman cadre, in Malkangiri district early on Sunday morning.

A joint police team was on a routine exercise near Singhavaram forest at Gajalmamudi village when they came under attack. The personnel retaliated and a gunfight ensued. The Maoists were killed in the exchange of fire. (Representative Photo)

Director general of police Abhay said around 4.30am on Sunday a joint team of SOG and DVF were on a routine exercise near Singhavaram forest at Gajalmamudi village when they came under fire.

“Our teams returned fire and the encounter went on for quite some time. After day broke and firing stopped, our team found two bodies including that of a woman. The male Maoist is an area commander-ranked cadre from Chhatisgarh while we are trying to identify the woman Maoist,” he said.

One INSAS rifle, one SLR rifle,several rounds of bullets, Maoist literature and kit bags were recovered from the encounter spot, in the erstwhile red zone of “Swabhiman Anchal”.

On October 28, police had seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition after an exchange of fire at Bhimaram Reserve forest of “Swabhiman Anchal” in the district.

The DGP said the state was determined to cleanse the “Swabhiman Anchal” of Maoists. The area, which used to be a Maoist hotbed due to its proximity with Andhra Pradesh and inaccessibility, has slowly come under state control. Over last two years, the government has made deep inroads into the area erecting mobile towers, laying roads and starting a flurry of developmental schemes.