Sambalpur: A Maoist camp was busted and two ultras, including head of the Bargarh-Bolangir- Mahasamund divisional committee Rabindra, were injured in a fierce gun battle with security forces in Bargarh district, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.
The exchange of fire took place between Maoists and security forces at Gandhamardan hill range, around 180 km from here, on Tuesday night during which the Maoist camp was busted.
“We had information about the Maoist movement in the foothills of Gandhamardan. Subsequently, a police team was sent to the Gandhamardan. The team came across the group of ultra while returning. The Maoist opened fire on the police and subsequently they retaliated. The Maoists escaped from the spot,” Bargarh Superintendent of Police, Mukesh K Bhamo told mediapersons.
The SP further said that the police team came across 10-12 cadres, who suddenly opened fire on seeing the security personnel.
The exchange of fire continued for more than 15 minutes. More than fifty rounds of bullets were fired from both sides. However, the Maoist escaped from the spot taking advantage of the darkness, he said.
The police seized 16 empty cartridges, a sharp knife, a bag, and several other things from the spot. A combing operation has been launched in that area, he added.
In October, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had also busted a Maoist camp in the Pravasani Reserve forest area, near Bar Bhaluchan under Jamankira police limits in Sambalpur district.
The month saw some major gains by the security personnel in tackling the Maoist scourge. The security personnel had succeeded in busting a Maoist camp in the Kandhamal district and seized a huge cache of Maoist items from the spot. Thereafter, a Maoist camp was busted by personnel of Special Operations Group (SOG) and Border Security Force (BSF) in a joint operation at Sunki under Pottangi police limits in Koraput district.
