Bhubaneswar: Two SOG jawans were killed in an exchange of bullets between security forces and the Maoists in a forest near Sirki village on the Kalahandi-Kandhamal border on Wednesday.
The deceased have been identified as Sudhir Kumar Tudu (28) of Sanabhadua village of Mayurbhanj district and Debasis Sethy (27) of Angapada village under Rajkishore Nagar police limits in Angul district.
Giving updates on the encounter, Kalahandi SP B Gangadhar said that of the five Maoists killed in the encounter, two are male and three female.
Stating that the security personnel have busted seven camps inside the forest, he said two top Maoist leaders, who managed to escape unhurt during the encounter are Murali, member of the CPI-Maoist Central Committee and Nikhil, commander of the Bansadhara-Ghumsar-Nagavali Division.
The SP said that the combing operations have been intensified from both sides of the border area between Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts.
