After the Majhiguda encounter with Maoists, security personnel have expedited combing operations in the Boipariguda-Chitrakonda-lamtaput area to nab Rukmani, a hardcore Maoist who carries Rs 4 lakh on her head.
Sources said, a total of five battalions, four of Koraput and Malkangiri’s one, are conducting the combing operation named ‘Operation Rukmani’. Rukmani belongs to Malkangiri, sources revealed.
At least two to three Maoists were injured in the encounter and a high alert has been sounded in Malkangiri, Koraput and other areas on Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border. Two of Rukmani’s friends, Satyam and Sathi, have already surrendered before the AP and Odisha police, respectively.
A team of 12 Maoists led by Rukmani were moving around the Jungle when the police attacked them. However, they all managed to run into the border area of Andhra Pradesh through Mathli and Jalaput dam.
As there are links to Andhra border from Malkangiri’s Patraput, Koraput’s Ankadali and Bododural, the border areas have turned to be the safe corridor for the Maoists. Security personnel have been deployed in these areas for last three days. The BSF along with SOG are guarding the area.
The combing operation is going on under the leadership of two young IPS officers, Malkangiri SP Mitrubhanu Mohapatra and Koraput SP Charan Singh Mina.
As per the intelligence input, the Maoists are planning for a big attack in the area but they are yet to do so as massive forces have been deployed there. A person killed in Malkangiri after the Wednesday encounter indicated the Red rebels’ presence in the area.