Fighting still on: One Maoist killed, four arrested

By Our Correspondent

Bhubaneswar, April 14: In a joint operation, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday successfully gunned down one of the hardcore Naxalite and arrested four rebels entrenched on the hilltop bauxite mines of the National Aluminium Company (Nalco) in Koraput district.

The police also reportedly recovered half of the arms and ammunition looted by the ultras from the local Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) camp and explosives lifted from the Nalco’s storehouse.

According to reports, fierce fighting was still on with the Maoists till Tuesday evening. A few frontline cadres of the banned CPI (Maoists) were resisting the advance of the security personnel so as to facilitate safe retreat of their comrades.

The security personnel have cordoned off Rangapani village at the foothill of Pachapatmali, the bauxite mines of Nalco, as many of the ultras are believed to be hiding their to avoid arrest.

The police suspects a sizeable number of rebels have returned to Andhra Pradesh and Chhatisgarh via Podapadar and Narayanpatna.

In another development, guard of honour was paid to the 10 slain CISF jawans who laid down their lives to flush out the rebels from the hilltop and release nearly 400 workers from their captivity.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 15 lakh to the next of keen of each killed jawans and job for one member of their family.