Anti-Maoist operations: 16 ultras killed so far in encounter along Odisha-Chhattisgarh border

As many as 16 Maoists were gunned down in a major joint operation conducted by the Odisha and Chhattisgarh police, along with CRPF personnel, in the border areas of Nuapada district of Odisha in the early hours of Tuesday.

As per a release issued by the Odisha Police State Headquarters, the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs received on the night of January 19. The intel indicated the presence of a large number of Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest of Chhattisgarh, about 5 km from the Odisha border.

Following this, a plan was formulated and a joint interstate operation comprising the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Odisha Police, the District Reserve Guard (DRG), CoBRA, and E-30 force of Chhattisgarh, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) raided the area.

Earlier during the operation, two female Maoist cadres were gunned down on Monday and a significant amount of firearms, ammunition, and IEDs, including one SLR, was recovered by the security forces. However,  the security forces continued a massive search operation to ensure the complete neutralization of the Maoist threat in the area until Tuesday, leading to the current exchange killing 14 ultras.

An update from the police headquarters stated that two more Naxals were killed in a currently undergoing gunfight. The pursuit is still in progress with both sides engaged in an exchange of fire with one CoBRA jawan sustaining injuries and 16 Maoists being gunned down so far.

Reports also added that the number of Maoist casualties may increase as a search and combat operation is still ongoing with security forces continuing to march deeper into the Maoist hideouts.

(With inputs from PTI)