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14 Maoists killed in encounter in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR/ KORAPUT: At least 14 armed Maoists, including a woman cadre, were gunned down inside a forest near Podia in Odisha's Malkangiri district during an exchange between security personnel and extremists in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
"We had specific information about the Maoists entering Odisha from Chhattisgarh last night," DGP Prakash Mishra said.
A team of Malkangiri police, special operations group (an anti-insurgency force) and the district voluntary force (comprising ex-servicemen) launched the combing operations in the area, leading to the killings.
The DGP said there were no reports of any casualty from the police. "We are yet to get information on the number of Maoists who could have been injured," he told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar before leaving for Malkangiri along with senior police and intelligence officers to take stock of the situation.
Mishra said they suspected those killed could be part of either the local area squad (LOS) of CPI (Maoist) Podia unit or of the Dandakaranya special zonal committee. "It can be said that some of those killed were involved in the Dharba Ghati operations (of the Maoists in which several Congress leaders of Chhattisgarh were slain on May 25)," the DGP added.
Security men recovered huge cache of arms, including AK-47 rifles, ammunition and Maoists belongings from the spot. Police sources said never before in Odisha the Red rebels had suffered such high casualty in a single operation.
Police said they raided the Red outlaws' camp based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the functioning of a Maoist camp on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. "The incident could act as a deterrent for ultras trying to sneak into Odisha from Chhattisgarh," a senior cop said.
On September 11, security personnel killed a female Maoist during an encounter in Rayagada district. Four BSF men were killed in a landmine explosion triggered by Maoists in Koraput district on August 27.
Source:- 14 Maoists killed in encounter in Odisha - Times Of India