Two commandos of the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Odisha Police sustained bullet wounds during a fierce gun battle with Maoists in the Uma forest on the Boudh-Kandhamal border on Saturday.
As per reports, based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the forest in the morning, a joint team of SOG and District
Voluntary Force (DVF) launched a combing operation. Spotting the security personnel, the Red rebels resorted to indiscriminate firing in which two jawans sustained bullet injuries.
However, getting information CRPF rushed reinforcements to the area and rescued the injured jawans from the encounter site.
Getting informed about the firing which lasted for eight hours, DGP Abhay cancelled his scheduled visit to Koraput and Malkangiri and rushed to Padelpada in Boudh.
The DGP airlifted the injured to Bhubaneswar in a BSF chopper and after their arrival they were rushed to the AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Presently their condition was stated to be stable.
The DGP thanked the BSF pilot for landing the helicopter in a small school field in Kandhamal and airlifting the SOG jawans. He also praised the CRPF personnel for their efforts in rescuing the two Commandos. He also praised the doctor, who accompanied him and injured in the helicopter to the capital city. The DGP also said besides the security personnel some Maoists were also injured in the encounter.
Meanwhile, IG Operations Amitabh Thakur said combing operations have been intensified in the Boudh-Kandhamal border to flush out the ultras. He also reiterated the DGP’s appeal to the Maoists to surrender and join the mainstream.