A group of armed Maoists killed a tribal Special Police Officer (SPO) Ajit Sodi and injured another in Podia late on Saturday night.
A group of ultras attacked three SPOs when they were returning from a local market at Podia, about 70 km from Malkangiri, and fired at them indiscriminately killing Ajit on the spot.
Ajit’s colleague Lachmeya Madkami was critically injured in the attack. The third one escaped unhurt. Malkangiri SP Akhilesh Singh confirmed the incident and said two persons had been detained in this regard.
Police said, three SPOs had gone to the local market unaware that they had been targeted. On their return route, they came under attack. A combing operation has been launched to track down the Maoists who are believed to be from a Chhattisgarh group. One platoon of SPOs had been deployed along with the India Reserve Battalion at Podia.
As per the State Government’s policy, Sodi’s family, which belongs to Similibanchha village of MV-79, will receive Rs 10 lakh towards insurance coverage and an ex gratia of Rs 8 lakh. The injured will get treatment free of cost.
NO BUS SERVICES: Meanwhile, on the second day of the Martyrs’ Week on Sunday, communication service was disrupted with the termination of long and short-distance passenger buses for security reasons in districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal.
Trucks and other private vehicles also remained off the road while shops and business establishments downed their shutters in several interior areas though urban centres saw usual commercial activities.
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