One of the six Maoists killed in an exchange of fire with Greyhounds personnel reportedly tested COVID-19 positive, here on Saturday.
The bodies of the six Maoists reached Narsipatnam Area Hospital on Thursday night and the post-mortem was conducted on Friday.
According to sources, Santu Nachike from Koraput, reportedly tested COVID positive. It is mandatory during this pandemic period to conduct the COVID test, and he tested positive in the rapid antigen test. His swabs were sent for RTPCR for confirmation, said a source from the forensic team.
Meanwhile, the bodies of Ranadev alias Arjun from Malkangiri in Odisha, Sande Gangaiah alias Dr. Ashok from Peddapalli in Telangana, and Lalita from G.K. Veedhi of Visakhapatnam district, have been handed over to their family members. The bodies of Paike from Chhattisgarh, Nachike and Madakam Chaite also from Chhattisgarh, are still to be handed over, as no one has claimed them, it is learnt.
“We will wait for 72 hours as per the norms, and still if there is no claimants, we shall take the necessary steps to bury them,” said OSD of Narsipatnam Sateesh Kumar.
The six Maosits were killed in a gun battle with the Greyhounds near Theegalametta village in Koyyuru mandal in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday. Meanwhile, it is learnt that combing operations are still on in the interior parts of Visakha Agency.
