Koraput/Malkangiri (Odisha), Feb 28: A Maoist was shot dead in an encounter with security personnel in Niyamgiri forest area of Odisha’s Rayagada district on saturday, while the Maoists killed a tribal in nearby Malkangiri district, police said.
Acting on information about the presence of Maoists, District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel launched an operation near Dangamati village, under Kalyansinghpur police station, limits in Rayagada district following which an exchange of fire took place, Rayagada SP K Siva Subramani said.
While one of the extremists was killed in the gun-battle that took place in the forest on Rayagada-Kalahandi border early this morning, the rest fled the scene, he said.
The body of the ultra, whose identity was yet to be ascertained, was recovered from the site and brought to Rayagada, police said adding that some other naxals were suspected to have been injured.
A Chinese made pistol, two crude revolvers, a huge cache of ammunition, Maoist literature and other articles were seized from the spot, said the SP, who led the operation. Combing operation and patrolling was stepped up in the area after the encounter, police said.
In another incident in Malkangiri district, a tribal, identified as Biswanath Khila of Handikhal village in Chitrakonda area, aged around 25 years, was killed by Maoists, said Inspector In-Charge of Chitrakonda police station, Pitabas Dharua.
Khila, who had gone to attend a marriage function, was taken away by a group of naxals late last night and his body with throat slit was found at Khajuribahal village Saturday morning, police said adding the ultras apparently suspected that Khila operated as a police informer.
