Thirteen Maoists, including a woman cadre, suspected to have been involved in the May 25 massacre of several Congress leaders at Dharba Ghati in Chhattisgarh, were gunned down inside a forest near Podia in Odisha’s Malkangiri district during an exchange of fire between security personnel and extremists in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
Police recovered AK-47 rifles, 12 guns, one 9 mm pistol, two claymore mines, one landmine, ammunition, at least 30 kitbags, food and huge quantities of Maoist belongings from the spot. The bodies and the recovered items were brought to the police headquarters in Malkangiri.
This was the single biggest success for security personnel in Odisha in their over decade long fight against the Red guerillas. On January 9, 2011, police had killed nine rebels in Rayagada district.
A team of Malkangiri police, special operations group (a dedicated anti-extremist outfit) and district voluntary force (comprising ex-servicemen) launched the combing operations in Podia, about 70 km from Malkangiri town, on Friday evening. After trekking a few kilometers in the forest, the team spotted the Maoists at around 3 am.
Police said the deceased Maoists are suspected to be from Chhattisgarh and Kalimela dalam of Malkangiri. A team from National Investigating Agency and another from Chhattisgarh police are expected to reach Malkangiri soon to help police investigation, sources said.
The incident, which came a week after security advisor to the Union home ministry K Vijaya Kumar reviewed the ongoing anti-extremist operations in Malkangiri, was based on specific information about Maoists entering Odisha from Chhattisgarh, said DGP Prakash Mishra, who along with senior police and intelligence officers took stock of the situation in Malkangiri after the encounter.
Police recovered AK-47 rifles, 12 guns, one 9 mm pistol, two claymore mines, one landmine, ammunition, at least 30 kitbags, food and huge quantities of Maoist belongings from the spot. The bodies and the recovered items were brought to the police headquarters in Malkangiri.
This was the single biggest success for security personnel in Odisha in their over decade long fight against the Red guerillas. On January 9, 2011, police had killed nine rebels in Rayagada district.
A team of Malkangiri police, special operations group (a dedicated anti-extremist outfit) and district voluntary force (comprising ex-servicemen) launched the combing operations in Podia, about 70 km from Malkangiri town, on Friday evening. After trekking a few kilometers in the forest, the team spotted the Maoists at around 3 am.
Police said the deceased Maoists are suspected to be from Chhattisgarh and Kalimela dalam of Malkangiri. A team from National Investigating Agency and another from Chhattisgarh police are expected to reach Malkangiri soon to help police investigation, sources said.
The incident, which came a week after security advisor to the Union home ministry K Vijaya Kumar reviewed the ongoing anti-extremist operations in Malkangiri, was based on specific information about Maoists entering Odisha from Chhattisgarh, said DGP Prakash Mishra, who along with senior police and intelligence officers took stock of the situation in Malkangiri after the encounter.
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