SPO gunned down by Maoists in Kandhamal district

Phulbani (Orissa), Feb 11 (PTI) A Special Police Officer(SPO) was gunned down by Maoists in Kandhamal district today,police sources said.

The SPO, identified as Narenga Mallick of Dungudavillage, was working with Kotagada police station, about 140km from here, and had been warned by the red rebels to quitthe job, the sources said.

Mallick, who had joined as SPO about 18 months ago,was returning to his village located about five km fromKotagada this morning when the ultras attacked him on theforest road and shot him dead, they said.

Police officials had rushed to the site after theincident and additional force was sent to intensify combingoperation and patrolling in the area, they said.

The killing came a day after the naxals set afire thepolice outpost at Subarnagarh in Kotagada police stationlimits yesterday.