BHAWANIPATNA: An exchange of fire between the ultras and SOG-DVF personnel took place in Labanagada forest area near Mundamaska under M Rampur Police Station of Kalahandi district during a search operation on Thursday.
Based on reliable inputs about movement of Maoists, SP Kalahandi Abhilash G led a team of SOG and DVF personnel around 11.30 AM for a combing operation. While the search was on, the CPI (Maoist) cadres started firing indiscriminately from LMG and other automatic weapons on the police.
The operational party retaliated and fired from UBGL and AK-47. Due to heavy counter fire by police, the Maoists retracted from their camp, the SP said in a press meet on later in the day on Thursday .
While a Maoist camp was busted, two IEDs, one booby trap, detonators, Maoist literature, large number of umbrellas, solar plates, water jerkins, Maoist banners, torch lights, charger, bag, soap, polythene sheets, electric wire, medicines, contraceptive pills and other camp articles were recovered from the abandoned camp site.
Operations have been further intensified in the area. Presence of senior cadres like Nikhil, Bunty, Dasru, Mamata and other cadres in the area (totalling around 30 Maoists) is suspected, the SP further said. More teams of SOG have been pressed into operations to flush out the Maoists, he added.