Security official killed, seven hurt in Odisha Maoist ambush

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. CM 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 on Sunday night," DGP K B Singh said.

The ultras fired at the convoy of the SOG, an elite anti-naxal force in the state, late Sunday 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.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Asit Kumar Tripathy said the incident took place on Sunday 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.

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