Maoists killed Sub-Inspector Narasingha Mahakud of the Orissa Police during a gun-battle in the forests of Sambalpur on Monday. Mahakud fell to the Maoist bullets while leading a section of the joint police force during an anti-Naxal combing operation in a forest area under Kisinda police station limits of Sambalpur.

Mahakud, who worked as in-charge of a police outpost in neighbouring Jharsuguda district, was part of the joint group of the CRPF, Special Operation Group, Orissa State Armed Police, and local police personnel who were engaged in anti-naxal operation in the area. About 10 Maoists are suspected to have been killed in the police fire, sources said.

Sambalpur SP Sanjay Kumar said the exchange of fire between the two sides took place during the morning hours and continued till afternoon before the Maoists fled the spot. The security forces had tracked down a group of Maoists in the locality on Sunday.

On Sunday, the police had a fierce encounter with the Maoists inside the Tamparsingha forest in Sambalpur district after the rebels detained three members of an NGO and demanded Rs 30 lakh as ransom. The three employees were set free on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, a tribal quack was shot dead by Maoists on the suspicion of being a police informer in northern Mayurbhanj district, bordering Jharkhand. Mayurbhanj SP Dayal Gangwar said eight armed rebels struck Dakadihi village and gunned down a 35-year-old quack.