Maoist camp destroyed in Odisha’s Kalahandi dist

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhawanipatna, Dec 17:

Security personnel have destroyed four Naxal camps in the Telan forested area in Odisha’s Kalahandi district today and have recovered 18 rounds of live ammunition, kit bags, Naxal literature, solar panels, uniforms, batteries and radio sets from these camps.

Though there was heavy exchange of fire between the Naxals and security forces, no casualty has been reported from the security personnel side. There is no confirmed information on the casualties on the Naxal side either, informed Yeswant Jethwa, IG, South Western range.

The red rebels, however, have fled the camps, police said.

Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist) Jampha, who hails from Warangal district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and has a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, managed to escape along with around forty of his cadres, said Jethwa.

“Combing and search operations have been intensified in the area with police teams stationed at strategic locations. The Kalahandi SP and myself are camping in the area,” informed the IG.

“We have deployed COBRA battalion of the CRPF in the area after we received intelligence inputs of Naxals regrouping in the Telan forested area bordering the districts of Kandhamal and Rayagada,” Jethwa said.