A senior commando of Andhra Pradesh greyhounds, who was injured in an exchange of fire with Maoists on the AP-Odisha border early today, succumbed to injuries here.
Visakhapatnam (Rural) Superintendent of Police, Rahul Dev Sharma told PTI that the commando succumbed at a hospital here.
The deceased Abubacker, along with another senior commando, was injured in the exchange of fire with ultras in Malkangiri district of Odisha early morning.
Both the injured were brought in a helicopter from the encounter site and admitted to the King George Hospital here for treatment.
Abubacker, who hails from Gajuwaka near here, died while undergoing treatment.
Greyhounds is AP's elite anti-Maoist force.
Earlier in day, 21 Naxals lost their life in firing with troopers in a major operation launched by security forces on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border.
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Later, DGP of Andhra Pradesh N Sambasiva Rao along with a few others police officials visited the slain commando's home and offered condolences to the family members.
The DGP gave them a cheque of Rs 20 lakh as ex-gratia and promised them another Rs 18 lakh as financial assistance.
The 27-year-old's parents will get his monthly salary till his superannuation date, Rao said.
Dismissing allegations that the Maoists were killed in cold blood, Rao said the rebels were gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces.
Abubacker had taken leave just a week ago and had come to his hometown to meet his family. Three days back, he received a phone call from his seniors who asked him to join duty immediately for an urgent operation.
He left home and reported for duty. Abubacker later called his parents--Mohammed Madina and Unnisa Begum--and told them that he was on an important mission at the Andhra-Odisha border and requested them not to make any phone calls to him, his family members said.
"My son promised to return after the operation and stay at home at least for one week. But now his body soaked in blood has arrived," said his parents in a choked voice.
The family members of the slain commando were inconsolable. His father, an auto-rickshaw driver, had put in a lot of efforts to raise Abubacker and his sister, and gave them good education.
