Bhawanipatna: A woman Maoist leader was killed Friday in an exchange of fire between security personnel and the Naxalites in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of Special Operation Group personnel launched a combing operation in Pangabaju reserve forest in the Madanpur-Rampur police station limits, Kalahandi SP Saravana Vivek said.
Maoists fired at the security personnel, who then retaliated killing the rebel on the spot and the rest managed to flee the scene, he said.
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The SOG personnel have recovered ammunition and Maoist articles from the spot, the SP said.
Further search operations have been intensified in the region, the official added.
On the other hand, Odisha DGP Abhay has appealed to the ultras to lay down their arms and join the mainstream. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the police chief wrote, “I appeal to all Maoists of Odisha to surrender with arms and join national mainstream. Odisha government has a generous surrender and rehabilitation Policy.”
PNN/Agencies
