Malkangiri: A home guard in Malkangiri district succumbed to injuries on Sunday morning after being allegedly hacked by a group of ganja smugglers late on Saturday night. The home guard has been identified as Banabasi Moharana.
According to sources, as many as 70 ganja smugglers were carrying ganja through the Chitakonda forest when they were intercepted near Balimela-Mathili road.
The accused persons then attacked the cops in a bid to escape during which the home guard was injured.
Taking advantage of the darkness, the ganja mafias fled the spot. Maharana was immediately rushed to the Mathili hospital and later died while undergoing treatment.
Malkangiri SP Rishikesh Dnyandeo Khilari reached the spot and started an investigation into the matter.
