SECURITY FORCES KILL THREE MAOISTS IN ANDHRA GUNFIGHT

HYDERABAD: Three Maoists were killed and two others injured in a gunbattle with security forces in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district on Sunday, police officials familiar with the matter said. According to police officials, the exchange of fire began when security personnel were conducting combing operations at the Madigamallu tribal hamlet, bordering Odisha.

“The gunfight lasted for over 30 minutes before some Maoists escaped into the forest. At least three Maoists were killed in the incident and two others who were seriously injured are believed to be dead. We have seized weapons and kit bags from the encounter site,” Visakhapatnam rural superintendent of police Babujee Attada said. He said the Maoists belonged to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and added that combing operations were still going on in the area. Security officials said they had received intel on the movement of Maoists in the area around the Andhra-odisha border, following which they had begun combing operations.