Malkangiri encounter: Forces asked to stay on high alert in Koraput, Kalahandi

Bhubaneswar: Close on the heels of the death of 24 cadre Maoists in an encounter with the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Police in the cutoff areas of Malkangiri district on October 24, the Odisha Home department has asked the Central forces and the Special Operation Group (SOG) to remain on high alert in the undivided Kalahandi and Koraput districts.

“Following the killing of 28 Maoists in an encounter in the cut-off areas of Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district, there is a possibility of retaliation by the left wing ultras. Hence as a precautionary move, instructions have been given to the Central forces especially the CRPF and its special CoBRA battalion, BSF and the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Odisha Police in undivided Koraput and Kalahandi districts to remain on high alert,” State Principal Secretary, Home, Asit Tripathy told media persons here today.

He said the IG (Operation), DIG, south-western range and Malkangiri SP are now in Malkangiri district headquarters. “It has been decided that the joint operation undertaken by the Grey Hound unit of Andhra Pradesh Police and Odisha Police recently, will be intensified further,” the Home secretary said.

He also said till date, the security personnel have recovered 28 bodies of the Maoists of which 18 bodies have been identified. We hope that the remaining 10 bodies would be identified very soon.

“As per intelligence sources, most of the slain Maoists are the state committee members belonging to the RK (Ramkrishna) Group,” he pointed out.