Maoist leader RK escapes during fire exchange with police in Odisha

Malkangiri: Top Maoist leader Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna, popularly known as RK, reportedly managed to escape during an exchange of fire between security personnel and Maoists near Tikarpadu under Chitrakonda police limits in the cut-off areas of Odisha’s Malkangiri district yesterday.

According to reports, a heavy exchange of fire took place between Maoists and a joint team of Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Odisha after the security personnel raided a camp of the red rebels during a combing operation.

While over 50 Maoists including RK managed to flee the spot taking advantage of the dense forest, police have seized huge cache of arms and ammunition. No casualties have been reported during the exchange of fire.

As many as 45 kit bags, two muzzle loaded single barrel guns, ammunition of INSAS, AK-47, 303, 9mm carbine magazine, 16 detonators and one explosive slurry have been seized.