Woman Maoist operative killed in encounter

Bhawanipatna: A Maoist operative was killed in an encounter with security forces in a forest area in Kalahandi district today, the police said.

The encounter took place when personnel of the Special Operation Group (SOG) and the police on a combing mission came across a group of Naxals inside the forest in Bijepur area, Kalahandi Superintendent of Police Brijesh Rai said.

While the body of the woman Maoist was found after the gun-battle, the other members of the group fled the scene, he said adding some articles including four weapons - an INSAS rifle, one SLR and two rifles - were recovered from the site.

The ultra belonged to Vansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagavali division of the outlawed CPI(Maoist).

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Search operation was conducted inside the forest in a bid to trace the fleeing rebels and to ascertain whether they had suffered more casualty, Rai said.

A clear picture about the outcome of the encounter would be available after the search operation in the forest was complete, the police said.