Exchange of fire between Naxals, police on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border

Bhubaneswar: The police managed to seize huge quantities of camp articles following an exchange of fire with the Naxals in a forest on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border near Raighar area of Nabarangpur today.

Two units of Odisha’s elite Special Operation Group (SOG) launched an anti-Maoist operation in the forest on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border yesterday night soon after receiving intelligence inputs regarding the presence of some dreaded Naxal cadres in the area.

The SOG personnel came across a group of around 25 armed CPI (Maoist) cadres including Murli, Kartik, Guddu, Akash and Nandal near Saibin Kachhar village under Udanti Sanctuary in Gariyabandh district of Chhattisgarh around 9.30 am today, said a police officer.

The Maoists opened fire on the approaching SOG personnel in an attempt to flee the spot. The security personnel retaliated and the exchange of fire continued for around 30 minutes. However, the Maoists managed to escape into the dense forest while leaving behind huge cache of camp articles, he added.

“Senior police officials rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. The security personnel have intensified combing operation in the area,” said the official.