Maoist killed in BSF combing operation in Malkangiri

One Maoist was killed during an exchange of fire between the naxalites and personnel of Border Security Force (BSF) in Malkangiri district in south Odisha on Saturday night.

This encounter occurred inside dense jungle in Ralegada panchayat area under Paparmetla police station, a cut off area of Balimela reservoir bordering Andhra Pradesh.

The body of the slain ultra was recovered during the search operation at the spot of encounter on Sunday morning. He was a male but his identity had not been ascertained.

The security personnel also recovered two guns of ultras and articles of their day-to-day use from the spot. Details were awaited as the BSF personnel involved in the operation had not returned back.

Speaking to The Hindu , Malkangiri Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhileswar Singh said extra force had been rushed to the spot and intense combing operation was on to track down the ultras who had managed to escape from the spot after the encounter.

Based on intelligence reports that a group of armed Maoists were camping inside jungle near Ralegada, a troupe from the BSF camp at Janabai had started an operation on Friday. They had stumbled upon the Maoist camp inside dense jungle near Ralegada at around 11 pm.

When the Maoists had sensed the BSF personnel approaching them, they had opened fire which was retaliated by the security forces. The exchange of fire continued for around half an hour. The naxalites escaped from the spot taking advantage of darkness and dense jungle. They left behind the body of their dead compatriot which was seized in the morning.

This is first major success of security forces in anti-Maoist operations in Malkangiri district after a series of kidnappings, murders and damages to public properties by Maoists in Malkangiri district during December 2013.