BHUBANESWAR: Three ultras of banned outfit CPI (Maoist), including two women cadres, were gunned down in an exchange of fire with the security forces at Tulsi Forest Range in Malkangiri on Tuesday.
DGP Abhay said acting on specific intelligence about the presence of the Maoists, a joint team of Special Operation Group (SOG) of Odisha Police and Malkangiri District Voluntary Force (DVF) had launched an operation in the Tulsi forest area, located close to the Odisha-Chhattishgarh border.
The Maoists, who were hiding in the forest, opened fire at the security forces to which the jawans retaliated for self-defence.
Bodies of three ultras have been recovered on the sport after they succumbed to bullet injuries, the DGP said.
The DGP also said that the security forces have so far seized two weapons, an INSAS rifle and a self-loading rifle from the spot of the encounter.
The operation was underway till the last report came in.
According to sources, heavy exchange of fire took place between the ultras and security forces in which more casualties from the Maoists side are being expected.
Earlier this year, a Maoist was gunned down in an encounter at Madakapadar panchayat in the district on January 31. Reports suggest that at least 16 Maoists had been killed in gunfire with the security forces in the forest of Malkangiri in 2020.