A Maoist was killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces in the Gamphakonda forests under the Kalimela police limits in Malkangiri district on Thursday morning.
According to the police, the battle took place when the Maoists started opening fire at a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel who were conducting search operations in the Tundukibatla area to trace three villagers allegedly abducted by Maoists on Wednesday.
After the gun battle, the scared villagers began leaving their homes where the combing operation was going on.
In another incident, suspected Maoist Basudev Keuta, who had managed to escape from police custody in Raighar of Nabarangpur district on December 2 night, was caught on Wednesday from the Timanpur forest on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, said police sources.
Basudev was associated with the Mainpur Divisional Committee of the Maoists for the last six years. He was involved in raising funds for the ultras from political leaders, businessmen and contractors, said the police.
Meanwhile, BSF DG Subash Joshi on Thursday visited the Machkund BSF camp and reviewed the incident pertaining to the alleged killing of a tribal youth at litipur where jawans killed him suspecting him to be a Maoist. He also discussed with his officials about the ongoing anti-Maoist operations in the area.
Notably, the Maoists are observing PlGA Week from December 2 while security personnel have intensified their combing operations in these areas to keep a strict vigil on the Maoist activities in order to avoid any untoward incident.