2 top Maoists killed in Orissa encounter

In a major breakthrough, the Orissa police on Sunday “neutralised” two senior Maoist cadres — the secretary of Kalinga Nagar Divisional Committee, P. Kumarswami alias Sushil, and his wife Sundari Lingo alias Suni — in an encounter at Pacheripani in Deogarh district.

Sushil, a resident of Warangal in Andhra Pradesh, was allegedly involved in 78 cases, including 30 murders, in Anugl, Deogarh, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Rayagada and Gajapati districts of Orissa.

Orissa director general of police K. B. Singh said a team of Special Operation Group jawans, acting on reliable intelligence inputs, raided the hideouts of the rebels in Pacharipani forests on the borders of Angul-Deogarh districts at 3.15 pm and fought a fierce battle with the ultras.

“When the SOG jawans approached the rebels’ hideouts, Sushil and his aides fired at them prompting the jawans to retaliate. Sushil and his wife were neutralised on the spot while other cadres managed to escape. Efforts are on to nab them,” said the Mr Singh. Sushil was carrying reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head while Suni carried Rs 5 lakh on her head.

The DGP said Sushil was actively involved in the murder of assistant sub-inspector Umesh Marandi of Daitary police station and executed several mine blasts. The DGP said Sushil was trying to establish a red-corridor.