In biggest success,Odisha police kill 13 Maoists

The SP said incessant rain in the area helped the police team avoid suspicion.

Orissa police Saturday gunned down at least 13 Maoists,including a woman,inside a forest in the Podia block of Malkangiri district,marking its biggest success against the extremists.

The Maoists were camping inside the Silakota forest since Friday night when a team of the Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force swooped down on them following intelligence about their presence.

Around 30 Maoists led by Rakesh,the divisional commander,had entered the forest a day ago and were planning to attack security forces,Malkangiri SP Akhileswar Singh said. Rakesh was among the dead.

An AK-47,a 9 mm pistol,10 country-made guns,one country-made pistol,two claymore mines,30 kitbags and ammunition were recovered from the camp,located about 20 km from the Chhattisgarh border.

The SP said incessant rain in the area helped the police team avoid suspicion. The Maoists were taking cover under plastic sheets when we arrived, he said.

An NIA team was headed to Malkangiri to probe if the Maoists had any links to the May 25 Darbha Ghati attack in Chhattisgarh which targeted top Congress leaders.