Bhubaneswar, June 5: A Special Operations Group (SOG) jawan was killed in a Maoist ambush near the Khamankhol forest under Baliguda block in Kandhamal district, about 350km from here, late last night.
Seven jawans were injured in the ambush.
While the SOG constable, Laxmikant Jani, a Kalahandi resident, died at G. Udaygiri on his way to Berhampur for treatment, the seven injured were identified as Thabiram Tandi, Nirmal Rana, Markand Karji, Hemant Nayak, Niranjan Behera, Harischandra Thamang and Suman Hansraj.
Home secretary Asit Tripathy said the attack was aimed at a police convoy returning after a combing operation in the forest. It took place between 11pm and midnight on Sunday.
"Our jawans also retaliated. Around 300 rounds were fired and grenade launchers were also used," said Tripathy.
The injured are being treated at MKCG Hospital in Berhampur and Phulbani district headquarters hospital. Director-general of police K.B. Singh, who visited the spot today along with inspector general (southern range) Amitabh Thakur and inspector general (operations) R.P. Koche, praised the valour of the SOG jawans who fought back the sudden attack.
The police said the jawans were returning to Kandhamal town in eight police vans. Seeing an opportunity, the rebels, who were hiding in the forest, opened fire on the last van.
Though the jawans retaliated, the Maoists, who were better positioned, managed to escape.
The home secretary said the slain jawan and his injured colleagues would be compensated financially in keeping with the enhanced assistance package decided by the state government recently. He said the assistance amount in the earlier package announced in 2008 had been doubled in the new package announced in January this year.
While the compensation amount for officers in the rank of inspector and above killed in Maoist encounters has been raised to Rs 20 lakh from the earlier Rs 10 lakh, for sub-inspectors and officers ranked below the assistance has gone up to Rs 16 lakh.
Besides, families of the slain police personnel would get monthly pension equivalent to their last drawn salary and one of their family members would be provided with a government job.
The Kandhamal attack comes in the wake of a blast triggered by the Maoists in February in Koraput's Sunki valley killing eight police personnel, mostly drivers who were on their way to attend a training programme in Angul.
The last big success of the police against the Maoists was in October last year when they gunned down 24 rebels in an encounter in Malkangiri district close to the Chhattisgarh border.
Among those killed in the gun battle was Munna, son of top rebel commander Ramakrishna, who, however, had managed to escape with injuries.
