MALKANGIRI: Dreaded Maoist Era Madkami alias Lalu, who was carrying a cash reward of `four lakh on his head for his involvement in several heinous criminal cases, was killed in a gun battle with District Voluntary Force (DVF) team led by Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mahapatra on Wednesday night.
Acting on intelligence inputs that the Maoists were camping in the forest near Daudaput village in Madkapadar gram panchayat under Mathili police limits, Mahapatra rushed to the spot along with a DVF team.
“On our approach, around 20 armed Maoists fired indiscriminately at us. We retaliated and a fierce gun battle ensued for hours together resulting in killing of Madkami,” said Mahapatra.
Moreover, bloodstains found at the encounter site indicate that at least three to four more Maoist cadres may have been killed during the encounter, the SP said.
Madkami was an Area Committee Member of Gumma and member of CPI (Maoist) Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee. Police also recovered two .303 rifles, one stain gun, 30 rounds of ammunition, seven kit bags, Naxal uniforms and Maoist literature at the encounter site.
The body of Madkami, who hailed from Potteru area under Kalimela police limits, will be handed over to his family members on Friday, the SP added.
Autopsy on the slain ultra’s body was conducted soon after it was brought to Malkangiri on Thursday morning. The body has been kept in District Police Office. Combing operation has been intensified in Mathili area bordering Chhattisgarh after the killing of Madkami.