Bhubaneswar, July 29 (IANS) A special police officer (SPO) was killed and another injured Sunday after Maoists opened fire at them at a rural market in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, police said.
Ajit Sodi died at the spot and Laxman Madakami sustained bullet injuries when about three rebels opened fire at them at the weekly haat in Padia, about 50 km from the district headquarters town of Malkangiri, Superintendent of Police Akhileshwar Singh told IANS.
More than half of Odisha is Maoist-affected, and Malkangiri, about 620 km from here, is considered their strong-hold.
The latest killing came as a shock for police which claimed to had beefed up security in the region as the guerillas are observing ‘martyrs’ week’ since Saturday in memory of rebel leaders killed by security forces.
Charu Majumdar, one of founders of India’s Maoist movement, had died in police custody July 28, 1972. The left-wing rebels have been observing ‘Martyr’s Week’ since then.
