Dreaded Maoist Sushil, wife killed in encounter

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police got a major success after they eliminated the dreaded and top Maoist leader Sushil and his wife in an encounter on the border area of Angul and Deogarh district on Sunday afternoon.

Giving details to the media here, Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh said a joint operation was conducted in Angul-Deogarh border by a team of Strategic Intelligence Wing (SIW) and the Special Operation Group (SOG) in the afternoon basing on specific intelligence.

“During the operation, exchange of fire took place between the police and the Maoists at about 3.15 PM. After the operation was over, two bodies of Maoists were recovered from the spot. The bodies have been identified as Sushil alias Puttapaka Kumarswamy alias Basanth alias Ranjit alias Veeranna of Bhanjipet village under Narsimpet police station limits of Warangal district in Telengana, and his wife Sindri Lingo alias Sony alias Roma of Kidangi village under Koyuru police station limits of Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh,” Singh said.

He said Sushil was a state committee member of CPI (Maoist) and secretary of Kalinga Nagar Division and carrying a reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head.

“Sushil was previously the secretary of Bansadhara Division of CPI (Maoist) and operating in Rayagada and Gajapati districts. He was trying to establish a corridor along Angul, Deogarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts. He had formed Kalinga Nagar Division on the instructions of the Central Committee of Maoists in 2008. He was involved in more than 78 cases of Maoist violence with more than 30 murders in Keonjhar, Angul, Deogarh, Rayagada and Gajapati districts. He was involved in the blasting up of Daitari police station and abduction of Assistant Sub Inspector Umesh Marandi of Daitari police station in Keonjhar district in July 2010, blasting up of Kaliahata Outpost in Keonjhar district in 2010 and looting of explosives from Chingudipal IMF A mines and IDC, Tailangi mines in Jajpur district in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Besides, he was also involved in many cases of violence in Rayagada and Gajapati districts,” the DGP informed.

Referring to the wife of Sushil, who was killed in the encounter, Singh said Sony was a divisional committee member (DCM) ranked cadre and assisting Sushil.

“Sony was also involved in all cases of Maoist violence committed by Sushil. She was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head,” he added.

Police recovered one INSAS rifle, one Carbine, large quantity of ammunition and Maoist articles from the spot.

Terming this a spectacular achievement of the Odisha Police in its anti-Maoist drive, the DGP said it will further boost the morale of the State Police force to take on the left wing ultras.

The bodies of the Maoist couple were later brought to the office of the Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) at Pallahara.