Balangir: Police personnel and Maoist cadres were engaged in an exchange of fire in a forest area in Balangir district late Tuesday night.
Following Intelligence reports that a group of 5-10 Maoists had pitched a camp in the forest of Chhatardandi under Turekela police station, a joint team of DVF and police launched an operation to nab them. As the team approached the camp, the Maoists opened fire and the police team fired back in retaliation.
The fire exchange continued for around 10 minutes in the forest. However, the Maoists escaped from the spot taking the cover of darkness.
Later, the security forces carried out a search operation in the area and recovered three knives, torchlight and some dresses from the Maoist camp. They also started a combing operation in the forest.
It may be noted that hundreds of Maoists had set fire to a bus going from Odisha to Hyderabad near Kutur village under Chintoor police station in Andhra Pradesh in last month.
