Odisha: Two SOG jawans injured in anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal district

BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR: Two commandos of the Odisha Police’s Special Operation Group (SOG) and an unidentified number of Maoists were injured during an exchange of fire inside Uma forest, under Gochhapada police station limits in Kandhamal district, on Saturday.
The injured jawans were airlifted to Bhubaneswar in the helicopter carrying DGP Abhay, who was on a visit to Maoist-hit Malkangiri district along with some top officers.Upon hearing about the encounter and injury to the jawans, the DGP’s helicopter took a detour to Padelpada in Boudh, close to Kandhamal and the site of the operation.
The injured jawans are undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and their condition is stated to be stable. “While one commando has two bullets stuck to his thigh, injuring the pelvic region and upper side of his chest, another SOG has received a bullet on his cheek. Surgeries will be done to extract the bullets,” said AIIMS superintendent Sachidananda Mohanty.
Following intelligence reports, an operation was launched in the forest area, some 70 km from the district headquarters town of Phulbani. “The operation has been intensified. Our forces are on the hunt for extremists. The CRPF sent reinforcements and helped rescue the injured,” said Abhay.
He was accompanied by IG (operations) Amitav Thakur, director (intelligence) Lalit Das and DIG (special intelligence wing) Anurudh Singh.
"To airlift the injured soldiers, police requisitioned an IAF helicopter from Raipur but it had to return mid-way due to inclement weather. It was then that the chopper carrying the DGP and other officers had to double up as an air ambulance to bring the soldiers to Bhubaneswar,” said Thakur.