24 Maoists killed in encounter on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border

BHUBANESHWAR: At least 24 Maoists were killed by early Monday morning in a joint operation carried out by anti-naxal forces of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police in Malkangiri. One policemen was killed by maoists in the exchange of fire on Sunday night.

The dead include 11 women. Contrary to what was earlier reported, top Maoist leader Gajarla Ravi alias Uday, of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) was not among the dead. CPI Maoist central committee member G Ramakrishna, known as RK, is also believed to have escaped. According to senior police officials his son, Manna, and another cadre responsible for his safety are among the dead.

The operation nonetheless is considered a setback to left-wing extremism, which police claim has been on the decline in these difficult to access areas.

“The area where the encounter took place is an area cut-off from the Odisha mainland by the Balimela reservoir, but accessible by road from AP,” said Arun Sarangi, Inspector General of Intelligence, Odisha Police.

It was information that RK and Uday were in the area, that had encourage police to plan this operation. According to Sarangi, the Maoists had gathered nearly two thousand people in rally earlier this month in these cut off areas and and called for a boycott of the coming panchayat elections. These forested areas of Malakngiri works as a route for Maoists movement from AP to Chhattisgarh.

Three AK-47 rifles, four self-loading rifles (SLR), and some guns were recovered from the spot.