Five Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Monday.
According to initial reports, the encounter began early on Monday morning and is said to be still continuing at Paparmetla, Jattangi and near Balimela.
Following a tip-off that the Maoists from various wings such as Kalimela Dalam of Odisha, the East Division of Andhra-Odisha border and from Chhattisgarh were holding a plenary, the security forces comprising the Greyhounds, the CRPF’s CoBRA commandos, Special Operation Group of Odisha and the BSF, led a joint operation.
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According to a senior police officer, the forces had specific information that central committee member of the Maoists, Ramakrishna alias RK was addressing the plenary session.
The officer also informed that whenever such a plenary session is held and it is addressed by a senior leader such as RK, the Maoists deploy a five-tier security layer spanning a radius of about 5 km. “Since the firing is still on we are yet to ascertain how may tiers we have been able to penetrate. And whether we will be able to reach RK or he would have escaped under the cover of fire, can be confirmed only after the firing ends,” he said.