Bhubaneswar: Two women Maoists were gunned down during an exchange of fire with security forces inside a forest in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Tuesday, Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Kumar Bansal said.
Acting on an intelligence input about presence of naxals in the area, personnel of the elite Special Operation Group (SOG) and district police had launched an operation in Matakupa Reserve Forest area of Kandhamal, bordering Boudh district, he said.
When the Maoists opened fire at the security forces, the SOG and DVF personnel retaliated in self-defence and a fierce gun-battle erupted. Two red rebels were gunned down during the exchange of fire.
Later, during search operation in the area, bodies of two female cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) in uniform were recovered from the site, the DGP said, describing the operation as highly successful.
This apart, 4 fire arms including an INSAS rifle with 11 rounds of ammunition and 1 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) have been recovered during combing in the area.
While the process of identification of the bodies is underway, further search operation is going on in the area. Combing operation has been intensified and more teams have been pressed into the area, Bansal said.
Appealing the Maoists to shun violence and join the social mainstream, the DGP said the misguided naxals should realise the futility of violence and and partake in the process of development and lead a decent life.
It may noted here that on November 24, two women Maoists carrying cash awards of Rs 4 lakh each on their heads were gunned down in an exchange of fire with SOG of Police in Gandhamardhan hills of Balangir district.
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