Three special force personnel killed in anti-Naxal operations in Orissa

Paralakhemundi, (Orissa), Mar 24 (ANI): At least three security personnel were killed and six others injured in a fierce gun battle between Maoists and state police in Orissa's Gajapati district early on Wednesday.

According to Police, the condition of four of the injured is critical.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of security personnel including the elite anti-Naxal Orissa Special Operation Group (SOG) had launched a combing operation in Ambajari forest in the district in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The forest area is barely five kilometers from the district headquarters.

A group of Maoists suddenly opened fired at security personnel who retaliated. In the exchange of fire, three SOG personnel were killed and six were injured, police said.

The injured personnel were shifted to Vishakhapatnam for additional treatment by expert doctors.

Police said the dead were identified as Sanjeet K Tirkey, Balram Pradhan and Deepak Sonbhoy. Information of casualty from the Maoist side is not yet available.

Meanwhile, the security personnel have launched a massive hunt operation in and around the area.

In another incident in the State, the Maoists blew up a pump house and control room near the pipeline of a private industrial house in n Malkangiri District.

The pipe line was meant for movement of minerals.

According to police, over 50-armed Naxals raided the area and triggered explosion after assaulting the guards present at the site.

In yet another attempt to disturb the rail transport in the state the Naxals triggered two explosions on the Mumbai-Howrah route late on Tuesday evening. (ANI)