Malkangiri: A jawan was killed and another was seriously injured in an encounter with Maoists in a forest in Malkangiri district near the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border early on Wednesday.
According to reports, the Malkangiri SP, Khilari Rishikesh, had led a joint combing operation by Special Operation Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel inside Pakanaguda forest near Khairput hill area late on Tuesday night.
While the search operation was underway, Maoists hiding in the area fired at the security personnel, who retaliated immediately. During the hour-long gunfight, a DVF jawan, Jayaram Kabasi, was killed and another jawan, Rama Durua, was injured.
Unable to resist the crossfire, the Maoists escaped from the area.
Till reports last came in, the firing has stopped and the search operation has been intensified with the additional deployment of BSF personnel.
The injured jawan has been shifted to a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam for treatment.
The SP told the media that around 50-60 Maoists were present inside the forest when the encounter took place.
