PHULBANI: Two Maoists, including a woman, were allegedly killed in an exchange of fire with the police at Muduguda reserve forest in Kandhamal district, police said on Monday.
An hour-long exchange of fire had taken place between security personnel comprising special operations group and local police and the ultras in the dense forest on Sunday evening in Kandhamal district, Kandhamal SP K V Singh said.
“We have recovered two bullet ridden bodies from the site at Muduguda reserve forest bordering Kalahandi district during a search operation this morning,” he said.
The police also recovered fourteen 303 rifles, one SLR gun, two single barrel guns, 18 empty cartridges and other Maoist materials.
Meanwhile, the locals staged road blockades at six different places alleging that it was a fake encounter and the two were a couple who hailed from nearby Pangalpadar.
Some even claimed that the couple had gone to Trapagosa ghat to get batter mobile network to talk with their son and son-in-law who are in Kerala and demanded an inquiry into the killing.
However, Amitabh Thakur, DIG, southern range, claimed that the victims were yet to be identified. “Nobody so far has claimed the bodies,” he told reporters, adding that a DSP-level officer is probing into the matter. Thakur said the local police have been directed to follow the guidelines in case of encounter cases.
About 300 people gheraoed Kotagarh police station in protest against the killing of the “innocent” persons. They also resorted to road blockade in at least six places on the NH 59 and other places in the district.