Huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered by security forces during an encounter with rebels in the deep forest under Bandgaon police station in West Singhbhum.

The encounter in which security forces were led by West Singhbhum police and Jharkhand Jaguar against People Liberation Front of India (PLFI) took place on Friday evening following which the recoveries were made.

Acting on a tip-off that PLFI leaders Dinesh Gope and Jidan Gudiya were hiding in Manmaru forest the security forces launched an attack. Later, a few rounds of firing took place as well between the security forces and the rebels which lasted for about an hour.

DIG (Kolhan) Rajiv Ranjan Singh said that encounter took place between security forces and PLFI ultras in Manmaru forest under the jurisdiction of Bandgaon police station late on Friday evening. He said that after several rounds of firing, the rebels fled deep inside the forest.

“After the search operation, we found traces of bloodstains at the spot of the encounter. We suspect that during the encounter some of the rebels who were trying to flee might have sustained injuries,” said the DIG.

The security forces recovered an SLR, a light machine gun, an assault rifle, six country-made pistols, 169 cartridges, knives, walkie talkies, blankets, thermal scanners, mats, PLFI literature besides other things.

West Singhbhum SP Ajay Linda said the rebels fled taking advantage of the darkness. According to him, the recoveries were made during a search operation carried out after the operation.

Sources informed that the police team was led by the assistant superintendent of police cum sub-divisional police officer of Chakradharpur Nathu Singh Meena.

Additional security forces were rushed to the site of the encounter. They are camping at the spot.

Meanwhile, the West Singhbhum district administration has intensified police patrolling on the bordering areas. Para-military forces began combing operation in the deep forest cover since the wee hours of Saturday.