Woman Maoist Killed In Encounter In Odisha’s Kalahandi; Now BSF To Launch Operation In This District

Bhawanipatna/Malkangiri: A woman Maoist was killed in an encounter with the security personnel inside a forest near the border area of Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts on Friday.

Briefing the media, Kalahandi SP Saravana Vivek M said that the Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel were on a routine search operation in Lahadi-Lubengarh reserve forest of Madanpur-Rampur Forest range on Friday morning when they intercepted a group of armed Maoists and asked them to surrender. But as they opened fire, the SOG personnel retaliated. After a brief exchange of fire, the Maoists managed to escape.

The SOG personnel later resumed the search operation and found the body of a woman Maoist. Later, they busted a camp and seized several Maoist posters, live ammunition, and other articles.

Stating that about 20 Maoists were inside the forest, the SP said that the search operation in the area has been intensified with additional deployment of security personnel.

Meanwhile, the BSF has prepared a blueprint to launch anti-Maoist operations in Malkangiri.

The blueprint was prepared during the two-day visit of the BSF IG Madhusudan Sharma to Malkangiri and Rayagada district.

After his arrival in Malkangiri district, Sharma visited Janbai in the cut-off area of the district and later had a meeting with the BSF personnel at the camp at Dyke III in the area and discussed the strategies against the left-wing extremists.

The BSF IG later went to Kashipur in Rayagada district and had a review meeting with the personnel of the 68 Battalion.

Taking note of the rising Maoist activities along Kalahandi and Rayagada border, he asked the BSF personnel to keep a close watch on their movement.