Bhubaneswar: Backed by helicopters, Security forces killed at least 20 Naxals, including some women cadres, during continuing gun battles, a day after 14 policemen and a civilian died in Maoist attacks on police stations in Orissa's Nayagarh district.
Three policemen however died during the intensive combing operation as hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel fanned to Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Rayagada districts after the coordinated strikes on three police stations, a police training school, an outpost and the district police armoury.
"We have information about killing of 20 Maoists and three jawans of Special Operation Group (SOG) during the combing operation," Home Secretary T K Mishra said.
"We are in an offensive mode," he added.
Refusing to divulge details, Mishra said the casualties among the naxals could be more. "But we have specific information about death of 20 ultras since yesterday," said Mishra, adding that Additional Director General of Police, M M Praharaj was leading the operation which would continue "till the end."
Without disclosing the exact location where some naxals met their end, he said "reports have been coming from different places including the Gansar Hills." Mishra said sophisticated equipment like night binoculars, global positioning system (GPS) and other gadgets were being used to monitor the movement of ultras inside dense forests.
Two choppers were also pressed into service to coordinate the operations.
Sources said besides elite Greyhound Forces from Andhra Pradesh, specially trained para-military jawans, SOG forces and armed police were involved in the operation.
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