Two SOG commandos killed in gunfight with Maoists in Odisha

Two commandos of Odisha's elite anti-naxalite force were killed in a gunfight with naxalites in Kalahandi district in which five left wing extremists were also neutralised, police said on Thursday.

Two commandos of Odisha's elite anti-naxalite force were killed in a gunfight with naxalites in Kalahandi district in which five left wing extremists were also neutralised, police said on Thursday. The encounter between the Special Operations Group and the naxalites took place in Bhandarangi Sirki forest area on the Kalahandi-Kandhamal interdistrict border on Wednesday, the police said.

The two SOG oommandos who lost their lives were identified as Sudhir Kumar Tudu (28) of Mayurbhanj district and Debasis Sethy (27) of Angul, an official said. While one of them was fatally injured and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, the other commando's body was found by the forces during combing operations, he said.

Among the Maoists killed in the operation were four women, he said adding they belonged to the Bansadhara- Ghumsar-Nagabali division of the banned CPI(Maoist). The Maoists could not take away the bodies of their comrades as is their practice and four bodies were found during the search operations on Wednesday morning and another in the evening, the police official said.

Six weapons - two self loading rifles and four country-made guns were found in the encounter site, according to Kalahandi superintendent of police B Gangadhar. The operation was launched by the SOG and the Kalahandi district voluntary force on an intelligence input on Tuesday, another official said.

Two composite teams of the SOG and DVF were part of the operation, he said. The exchange of fire between the two sides started around 11 am on Wednesday and lasted for about half an hour, the SP added.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a twitter message condoled the death of the two commandos and said: Salute to martyrdom of Debashish Sethy of Angul & Sudhir Tudu of Mayrubhanj who laid down their lives fighting against left wing extremists. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred jawans. #Odisha will remember the sacrifice of its brave sons. Minister of State for Home D S Mishra, DGP Abhay, Leader of Opposition P K Naik, senior police officers attended the guard of honor given to the martyrs at Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi.

The DGP Abhaya said At least 12 Maoist ultras have been gunned down in a span of two months. While seven rebels were killed in Kandhamal district on three occasions, five ave been neutralised in Kalahandi on Wednesday. Stating that Wednesday's encounter was a big setback for the banned CPI (Maoist), the Odisha DGP called upon the rebels to surrender and return to the mainstream.