Maoist Gunned Down In Malkangiri Dist

BHUBANESWAR: Security personnel gunned down a Maoist following an exchange of fire in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Thursday. A jawan was injured in the gunfight.

While the identity of the deceased Maoist cadre is being ascertained, the injured DVF Jawan has been identified as Dambarudhar Badnayak. The jawan was rushed to Malkangiri district headquarters hospital.

According to police sources, the incident took place in a forested area under the MV-79 police jurisdiction, near the Chhattisgarh border.

“Since operations in Chhattisgarh have picked up, we are aware that Naxals from Chhattisgarh may try to enter Odisha. To prevent such entries, we are keeping a close eye on the bordering areas. We are also exchanging information with our sister agencies and also with the counterpart police,” DGP Y B Khurania said.

DGP said there was some information regarding the possibility of inter-infiltration from the Sukuma district of Chhattisgarh towards Malkangiri. The area was kept under surveillance and an operation was launched to prevent any infiltration.