Five Naxals killed in encounter with security forces in Odisha

Atleast five naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in Malkangiri district of Odisha during the wee hours of Monday. News agency ANI quoted officials as saying that the bodies of the naxals have been recovered but their identities are yet to be ascertained.

Ammunition was also recovered from the possession of the Naxals who were killed.

The gun battle took place inside a forest area near Papluru village in the Kalimela.

A combing operation by a joint team of Odisha Police and the Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel led to the encounter in which the five Maoists, including a woman was killed, Additional Director General (Operation) R.P. Koche said.

Multiple weapons, including two INSAS rifles, a hand grenade and one SLR, were also recovered as the combing operation continued, he said.

“We have deployed additional Border Security Forces and SOG personnel to keep a strict vigil and track down all the Maoists hiding in Papluru,” he added.

“I think, this is by far the best operation of the Odisha Police against the left-wing extremists. While a huge cache of arms and ammunition have been recovered, a search operation is still on to track down the Maoists,” Director General of Police (DGP) R.P. Sharma said.

Last week, three police personnel lost their lives in an ambush by Naxals in Aranpur village in Dantewada district of Jharkhand. Also a Doordarshan cameraman was killed in the sudden attack. Doordarshan crew was in Chhattisgarh to cover the assembly elections in this poll-bound state.

Updated on : Nov 5, 2018 at 11:46 IST

By EP Web Desk

(With Inputs From IANS)