Indian police shot dead at least 14 Maoist rebels in an encounter in the state of Odisha on Saturday.
Satte Police Director General Prakash Mishra confirmed the killings to the Hindustan Times. It was the biggest Maoist casualty in the area in the recent times.
The “encounter” took place in Malkangiri district’s Padia forest area, neighbouring to Chhattisgarh; where at least 24 people were killed when Naxalites attacked a Congress convoy in May.
Special Operations Group of police and District Village Force, led by Malkangiri superintendent of police Akhileswar Singh, launched the combined operation.
They acted on a tip-off and found a Maoist camp in the forest.
Meanwhile, some arms were recovered from scene.
Earlier in August, Maoist leader Madhav, alias Golla Ramullu, who had a Rs400,000 (Tk487,558) reward on his head, was killed in an “encounter” in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.
Nearly a third of India is identified as the “red corridor” where Maoists operate. Odissa is within the periphery of the corridor.
The Maoists say they work for the betterment of the poor and underprivileged people.
