VISAKHAPATNAM: Odisha police teams with the help of their Andhra (Visakhapatnam) counterparts launched an extensive combing operation at the Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) following information that Maoists were camping there on Thursday. Around 6.15 am, the combing parties came across Maoists and asked them to surrender, but they opened fire forcing the police team to retaliate in self-defence. Since the anti-Moist operation took place in Odisha, AP police officials were reluctant to share information about the incident with the media.
The exchange of fire reportedly took place in the thick forest area of Judumba pocket close to Toro Podar.
Though police officials were tight-lipped about the operation and other details, some of them did not rule out the presence of top Maoist leaders including Ramakrishna alias RK at the camp during the exchange of fire. Meanwhile, it’s reported that another exchange of fire took place for about 30 minutes between police and Maoists not far from the first one.
30-40 naxals spotted in AoB
No casualties have been reported so far. “Some kits and belongings of Maoists were recovered from the camp site. Judging by the recovered paraphernalia, officials suspect around 30- 40 Maoists participated in the encounter,” Chiruvolu Srikanth, DIG- Visakhapatnam range, told TNIE.