Rajnath speaks to Odisha CM after forces killed 24 Maoists

The Home Minister assured the Chief Minister of providing all central assistance in its fight against the Naxals, official sources said.

New Delhi, Oct 25: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today took stock of the situation along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border where 24 Maoists were gunned down by security forces in a fierce gun-battle.

Singh, who is in Bahrain, called up Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who apprised him about the incident and the prevailing situation in the state.

The Home Minister assured the Chief Minister of providing all central assistance in its fight against the Naxals, official sources said.

At least 24 Maoists, including their top leaders, were gunned down in a fierce gun-battle with security forces in Odisha's Malkangiri district on the border with Andhra Pradesh yesterday, giving a major blow to the ultras.

A commando of the elite anti-Naxal force, Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh was also killed, while another commando was injured in the encounter that took place in the cut-off area of remote Chitrakonda on Andhra-Odisha border.

PTI