Koraput: A Maoist camp was busted following a massive fire exchange between the police and the ultras during a combing operation inside the dense Sunki forest under Pottangi block near the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border in Koraput district Sunday noon.
Talking to reporters, SP (Koraput) Kanwar Vishal Singh said that acting on the information about the presence of a group of armed Maoists along with some top cadres inside the Sunki forest, a joint search operation by the Special Operation Group (SOG) and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) was launched at around 10.15 am.
While the operation was underway, the Maoists sensed the movement of the combing team and opened fire at the security personnel. The jawans fired in retaliation following which the ultras fled the camp, taking advantage of the terrain and forest cover. The cross-fire continued till 1.15 PM though no casualties were reported from either side.
“The security personnel then busted a Maoist camp inside the forest and seized huge cache of arms and ammunition and several other articles,” Singh said.
The SP said that about 15 top Maoist leaders were hiding in a nearby village. But, he did not specify the name of the village for security reasons.
Asked whether the exchange of fire would continue, he said the security personnel have been asked to stop the operation and return to the headquarters since it would be difficult to track down the Maoists at night.
PNN