Bhubaneswar, Oct 25: A CPI (Maoist) member was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Friday.

As per a statement from Kandhamal Police, the operation was initiated on Wednesday based on intelligence inputs. Two Special Operations Group (SOG) teams were deployed in the Budanai Reserve Forest under the Baliguda police jurisdiction. The exchange of fire occurred around 9:00 AM on Friday between SOG personnel and Maoists. During a search of the area, the body of a male Maoist cadre, dressed in uniform, was recovered along with an AK-47 rifle.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased was a senior member of the CPI (Maoist) from the Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) Division, active in the region. A search operation is ongoing, and further details about seized items will be disclosed soon.

Odisha DGP YB Khurania commended the efforts of Kandhamal Police, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Operational Headquarters for their success. Notably, five Maoists have been neutralized in the state since 2014.

Powered by Froala Editor