Maoists Torch 12 Houses In Cut-Off Areas Of Malkangiri, Security Beefed Up

Malkangiri: Security has been beefed up in Jodamba panchayat in the cut-off areas of Odisha’s Malkangiri district after Maoists set afire 10 houses at Janturai village late on Saturday.

Talking to mediapersons, Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal on Monday said that security has been beefed up at Jodamba, Janturai, Sindibeda and Tikarpada villages to foil any retaliatory attack by the Maoists.

He also said that the state government will provide financial assistance to the 10 affected families to construct their houses.

The Collector said that BSF, SOG and India Reserve Batallion (IRB) personnel have been deployed in large numbers in these four villages and combing operation in the area has been intensified.

The incident had taken place late on Saturday when two Maoists arrived at Janturai village in a motorcycle and warned the villagers against celebrating Republic Day and assisting the administration in taking up developmental works in the village.

A heated exchange of words ensued among the Maoists and the villagers. The incident later turned violent after irate villagers attacked the two Maoists with stones and traditional weapons in which one Maoist died while the other was seriously injured.

The villagers later handed over the body of the deceased and the injured Maoists to the BSF personnel at the Hantalaguda camp.

While the deceased has been identified as Ganga Madhi of Kalimela area, the injured has been identified as Jipra Hatrika of Narayanpatna. Both were members of Gumma Area Committee, Malkangiri SP Rishikesh Khillari said.

This is the first time that a Maoist cadre has been killed by the villagers in Malkangiri district.