RAJNANDGAON: A gun-fight today broke out between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district following which a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered.
The skirmish took place when a joint team of Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and district force were out on an anti-Naxal operation in Sitagaon police station area of the district, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police P Sundarraj said.
Acting on a tip-off about presence of Naxals in Halanjur forests of Sitagaon, security forces launched a combing exercise in the region to trace the rebels, he said.
On sensing police near Halanjur, a group of armed rebels opened fire on them prompting security forces to retaliate, he said, adding, Maoists soon fled into deep forests taking cover of rough terrain.
Later, a 10-kg IED, electric wire, Naxals posters and banners and other related materials were recovered, he added.