Malkangiri: Three Maoists carrying a total reward of Rs 10 lakh on their head have died during the encounter with security forces near Jajbhata jungle bordering to Chhattisgarh under Maithili police limits in Malkangiri district on Tuesday, said DGP Abhay on Wednesday.
Based on specific intelligence about the movement of armed Maoist cadres for carrying out anti-national & subversive activities, a joint special anti-Naxal operation involving teams of SOG, DVF of Odisha Police and BSF, had been launched in the general area of Tulsi Pahad under Mathili police limits on Sunday.
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While this operation was going on, police panics were fired upon by armed Maoists cadre and hence the police party retaliated in their self-defence. This exchange of fire took place near Jajbhata jungle yesterday at about 5.50 AM.
During subsequent search operations conducted till this time, three dead bodies i.e. two male and one female of armed CPI (Maoist) cadres were recovered from the area.
The DGP informed that incorrect information had been shared earlier stating that there were two women among the deceased Maoists as there was a lack of clarity in identification in the earlier stage.
However, the deceased Maoists include one female and two male cadres. One among them is an ACS rank Maoist with a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, another is an ACM rank woman Maoist with a reward of Rs 4 lakh on her head, and a party member with a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head.
Their identities have been established. They are Anil alias Kishor alias Muka Sodi, Sony, and Chinna Rao. They were reportedly involved in various violent incidents targeting security forces in the past as well as the murder of innocent civilians.
The security forces have seized, One SLR Rifle, One INSAS Rifle, Three SLR Magazines, One INSAS Magazine, Two Damaged INSAS Magazine, 59 SLR Ammunitions, 21 INSAS Ammunitions, One AK Magazine, One Rifle Sling Kit, Three Maoists Kit Bag, 10 Electric Detonators, One IED Mechanism, and Two Remote Control For IEDs.
The DGP informed that the influence of Maoists is progressively decreasing in Odisha. Very few Maoists are remaining. He further appealed to the Maoists to surrender and avail the benefit of the State Government’s surrender policy.
