Odisha’s top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, who had a reward of Rs 1.1 crore announced on his head, was shot dead by the security forces during an encounter in Odisha's Kandhamal district on Thursday. CPI(Maoist) central committee member Uike, was the chief of the banned outfit in Odisha.
The encounter broke out in the Chakapad police station area, a senior officer heading anti-Naxal operations in the state said, as quoted by PTI.
"Four Maoists were killed in the gunfight. One of them was identified as 69-year-old Ganesh Uike, who is also known by his aliases Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru and Rupa. He was a native of Pullemala village under Chendur mandal in Telangana's Nalgonda district," the officer said. Among those killed in the encounter included two women.
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A small mobile team of SOG (Special Operation Group) of Odisha Police started a search operation in the forest, when they encountered the Maoists. The officer said the encounter resulted in heavy exchanges of fire. The bodies of two male cadres were recovered immediately. The bodies of two female Maoists, and another male Maoist have not been identified yet. Police seized a revolver, a .303 rifle, and a walkie-talkie set from the encounter site.
There were no casualties on the security forces' side in the encounter, and combing operations have been intensified in the area.
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Apart from this, two suspected Maoists have been arrested in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, police said on Wednesday. The arrests were made in Nandpur Surin Tola in Manoharpur police station area on Tuesday, an officer said.
(With Inputs From PTI)