Security official killed, 7 injured in Maoist ambush in Odisha

Phulbani (Odisha): One security official was killed and seven others were injured when Maoists ambushed a convoy of Special Operation Group (SOG) in Baliguda area of Kandhamal district, police said on Monday.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the attack and called it "cowardly".

"Condemn cowardly attack on security personnel in Kandhamal. DGP @odisha_police is on the spot. Sacrifice of our jawan will not go in vain," Patnaik tweeted.

"Our boys are on high morale and have given a befitting reply to the Maoists. The standard operation procedure (SOP) was followed when the jawans returned after a combing operation last night," Director General of Police K B Singh after visiting the attack site.

The ultras fired at the convoy of the SOG, an elite anti-naxal force in the state, late last night when they were returning after conducting an anti-Maoist operation in a forest ghat road near Khamankhol, Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) Amitabh Thakur said.

Singh said the security personnel were caught between an IED on one side and firing from the other at the ambush spot, but the members of the SOG retaliated.

Combing operation has been intensified in Kandhamal and Kalahandi district border, Singh said.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Asit Kumar Tripathy said the incident took place last night when the jawans of SOG were returning after a combing operation. The security personnel fires around 300 rounds which forced the Maoists to flee.

"They also used grenades," Tripathy said.

Giving details of the incident, police said the last vehicle of the SOG convoy came under heavy attack leading to death of one security personnel on the spot and injuring seven others.

Three injured jawans were admitted to the Kandhamal district headquarter hospital, while four others were rushed to MKCG Medical College in Berhampur.

The slain jawan was identified as Laxmikant Jani of Kalahandi district.

The DGP said a massive combing operation was launched in the area after the incident. Reinforcement has been mobilised to step up the search operation.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Mahasangh demanded Rs 1 crore ex-gratia for the family of the martyred jawan and a job for next to his kin in a period of 15 days.

The state government has revised the compensation package under which compensation for martyrs of inspector rank will be Rs 20 lakh, Rs 16 lakh for Group B officer, Rs 10 lakh for Group C and D, Rs 8 lakh for critically injured and Rs 6 lakh for injured.

The martyr?s will get the salary, and one son or daughter will be given a government job.

Tripathy said the compensation will be given as per the amended package.