NUAPADA: Following an exchange of fire in Sunabeda wildlife sanctuary on Monday, the Special Operations Group (SOG) unearthed a Naxal camp and seized Rs 4 lakh cash besides several Maoist articles on Tuesday.
Nuapada SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra briefed the media, revealing that Rs 4 lakh in cash was among the items seized from the camp. Other confiscated items included a revolver with four rounds of ammunition, tools, Maoist uniforms, medicines, ration supplies, and other daily use items.
During the operation, SOG personnel Prakash Sahi (25) sustained bullet injuries and was transferred to Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for treatment. His condition is reported to be stable.
The operation was launched based on intelligence about the presence of left-wing extremists (LWE) in the Nuapada district bordering Chhattisgarh.
Around 3 am, security personnel spotted a group of Maoists in the Sunabeda forest near Shivanarayanpur within Komna police limits, leading to an initial exchange of fire between Odisha Police’s SOG and members of the banned CPI (Maoist).
A second SOG team, conducting an area domination exercise in nearby hilly terrain, encountered 10 to 12 Naxals around 8 am, about 2 km from the initial location.
Another exchange of fire ensued, but the Naxals managed to escape into the dense forest.