BARGARH/BHUBANESWAR: A Maoist cadre was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces inside a forest near Bhanjaguda village under Padampur block in Bargarh district in the wee hours of Friday.
Sources said a group of ultras opened fire when the combing operation was being carried out jointly by a team of SOG jawans and District Voluntary Force (DVF) in the forest. As the left-wing extremists started firing indiscriminately, the security forces retaliated killing the Maoist cadre on the spot. Others in the camp managed to escape.
Odisha DGP Abhay confirmed that the Maoist was killed in the crossfire. Security forces have recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines, and other arms and ammunition from the spot.
"Since only senior cadres in Maoist organisation carry AK 47 rifle, we suspect the deceased could be a senior cadre. Efforts are on to ascertain his identity," he said.
Stating the Odisha government has introduced a very generous rehabilitation policy, the DGP appealed to Maoists to surrender and return to the mainstream. The search operation was on at the spot.