A day before the visit of Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh to Malangiri, the worst Maoist-hit district in the state, the rebels struck on Sunday by launching a attack on the jawans of Special Operations Group (SOG).
At least three SOG jawans were injured in the incident.
According to initial reports coming from the area, the ultras triggered a claymore mine when the jawans were passing through the culvert at Kanaguda under Kalimela police station in the evening.
Although the vehicle narrowly escaped the ferocity of the blast, it skidded off the road. Soon after, the rebels who were hiding at a distance surrounded the vehicle and opened fire on the jawans forcing the latter to retaliate.
At least three jawans were injured in the incident. They were being brought to Malkangiri district headquarters hospital, about 70 km from the spot.
No reports of any casualty from the Maoists side were immediately available.
A massive combing operation has been launched in the area, senior police officials said in Bhubaneswar.
The Union minister accompanied by former Malkangiri collector and his present private secretary R. Vineel Krishna is scheduled visit Malkangiri on Monday to oversee implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and some other Central-sponsored schemes.
As per the schedule, Mr Ramesh will fly to Malkangiri by a helicopter from Visakhapatnam in the morning. After a review meeting in the Malkangir district headquarters, he would visit Janbai village under Chitrakonda police limit to monitor the progress of the proposed bridge on Gurupriya river. Once completed, the bridge over Gurupriya would connect Malkangiri with the villages inside the Chitrakonda reservoir.
These villages have become safe haven for the Maoists.
On Tuesday, he would visit the neighbouring Sukma district in Chhattisgarh to launch the Special Area Development Plan (SADP).