Twelve Maoists arrested in Odisha's Malkangiri district

Malkangiri: Twelve Maoists have been arrested during combing operations in Odisha's Malkangiri district, police said on Wednesday.

The left-wing extremists were picked up from their hideouts in Mathili, Kalimela and Chitrakonda areas of the district over the past two days, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said.

The arrested Maoists are suspected to have been involved in the killing of Dambaru Nayak (53) in Kalimela area in October, Muya Kabasi (27) in Mathili area on December 15 and Sadhu Khemundu (45) in Chitrakonda area on December 19, he said.

The Maoists allegedly killed them suspecting them to be police informers, the SP said, adding that efforts are on to nab more rebels in the district.