Maoist camp destroyed in Odisha''s Malkangiri

A Maoist camp was destroyed by security forces in Odisha's Malkangiri district

on Monday following a heavy gunfight, officials said. The gunbattle took place inside a dense forest in the

Mudulipada area after commandos of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) and the Special Operation Group (SOG) launched a

combing and search operation on Saturday, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Rishikesh D Khilari said.

The operation was launched following a tip-off about the movement of around 30 Maoists in the Bondapada-Sambalpur

forest, he said. The Maoists fired at the commandos, following which

the security forces retaliated, Khilari said, adding that the ultras, however, managed to escape taking advantage of the

darkness and difficult terrain. An intensive search operation was carried out in the

area after the exchange of fire as a follow-up. Several articles, including Maoist uniforms, kit bags, mobile phones

and torches, were seized from the site, police said.