Bodies of 3 more rebels found, toll mounts to 27

Security personnel on Tuesday found three more bodies of Maoists killed in an operation at a forest in Odisha’s Malkangiri district. With this, the total number Maoists killed in Monday’s operation has reached 27. The police recovered 24 bodies on Monday.

The strike was carried out by a joint team of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha police at Bhejangiwada jungle, between Ramgarh and Panasput, in Malkangiri district. Search operation is going on and the toll may rise, Visakhapatnam superintendent of police (rural) Rahul Dev Sharma said.

Malkangiri superintendent of police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said all the 24 bodies recovered on Monday have been identified. “The bodies have been kept in the mortuary in the district headquarters... They will be handed over to their relatives after following due procedure,” Mr Mohapatra said.