Balangir: Police and Maoists exchanged fire inside a forest in the Gandhamardan Hill area in Balangir district on Saturday morning.
Police said a Special Operation Group (SOG) team had launched a combing operation after receiving a tip-off that Maoists have set up a training camp near Harishankar temple in the area.
During the search operation, Maoists hiding in the area fired at the SOG personnel who immediately retaliated. After a brief crossfire, the Maoists managed to escape.
The SOG personnel later busted a training camp and found several Maoist articles including a blackboard and some chalks.
SP (Balangir) Madkar Sandeep Sampat later told the media that there was no casualty during the encounter. “Combing operation has been intensified in the area,” he added.
Asked about the blackboard and chalks seized from the encounter site, the SP said the Maoists might have set up the camp to recruit local youths. “Police are also investigating into this angle,” he said.
