Jawan injured in gunbattle with Maoists

A jawan was seriously injured in a gun-battle between security forces and Maoists in a forest area in Odisha's Malkangiri district early today.
The encounter took place in Parsanpalli forest located in Padia area when a team of District Voluntary Force (DVF) launched an operation following information about presence of Maoists in the jungle, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Akhileswar Singh said.
As the DVF team moved closer to the Naxal hide-out, the ultras fired injuring jawan Gopal Mandal (28), he said.
Personnel of BSF and Special Operation Group (SOG) soon joined the DVF team and outnumbered by the security forces, the red rebels fled the area, the SP said.

The injured jawan was admitted to hospital where his condition was stated to be critical, police said.
A combing operation has been launched inside the forest by the security forces after the Maoists fled the area, they said.