3 Dreaded Women Maoists With Rs 8L Bounty Held In Odisha’s Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar: In a major success in the fight against naxals, the Odisha Police arrested three dreaded women Maoists carrying combined cash reward of Rs eight lakh in Malkangiri district.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the police conducted raids and nabbed the women Maoists near Gunthawada village under the jurisdiction of Chitrakonda police station.

The three were involved in exchange of fire on several occasions. Multiple criminal cases have also been pending against them, police said in a statement on Saturday.

The arrested Maoists were identified as Swapna alias Chandrama Khilo, Babita alias Kamala Khilo and Sunita Khilo. They hail from Dhakadapadar village under Jodambo police limits.

The police official sources have added Swapna was carrying cash reward of Rs 4 lakh. She joined the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) in 2018 and was working in the banned outfit’s military platoon.

Babita had joined AOBSZC in 2021 and was working in the Uday Protection team. She was carrying cash reward of Rs 2 lakh. Sunita had also joined the Maoist group in 2021 and was carrying reward of Rs 2 lakh, the police sources have added.

Interrogation of the Maoists revealed that they were planning to carry out further subversive activities in the area like attack on the security forces, police said.

Combing operations and precise intelligence-based operations have been intensified in the district following the arrest of the trio.