A joint team of the Special Operations Group and the Border Security Force had an exchange of fire with a group of Maoists along Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border in Pottangi police station limits on Sunday.
The incident comes two days after the Odisha police and their Andhra Pradesh counterparts had held a strategy meet to launch a massive offensive against the rebels along the border.
Based on intelligence inputs about the presence of a Maoist camp in the forested area of Sunki, a counter-insurgency drive was planned and around 1.45pm. The security personnel spotted the Maoist camp in a dense forest along the Odisha-Andhra border.
“There were around 15 Maoists in the camp. Seeing our men, the Maoists fired first and our personnel retaliated. Several rounds were exchanged in the gunfight that lasted for more than 15 minutes. Unable to face heavy firing from our side, the Maoists fled from the spot taking advantage of the terrain and the dense forest,” said Koraput police superintendent Kanwar Vishal Singh.
He said an extensive search operation was on at the crime spot and more details were awaited. “Though no injury or casualty from our side was reported, any damage to the rebel’s camp would be ascertained once our party returns from the spot,” Singh said.
Though police didn’t confirm the presence of any top Maoist leader at the camp, sources said that rebel leaders Chalapati, Rama Krishna and Aruna had a narrow escaped.
“The presence of a top Maoist leader at the camp can’t be ruled out. But nothing is clear yet,” said a senior police officer of Koraput.
The police had sounded a high alert along the border areas following the recent killing of a sitting MLA and a former MLA of Telugu Desam Party in the bordering state on September 24.
TDP MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former TDP legislator Siveri Soma were gunned down by a group of Maoists at Dumbriguda Mandal of Araku valley in Andhra Pradesh.
“Our force has been kept on high alert to thwart any untoward incident and the movement of the Maoists are being closely monitored. The Maoists will not be allowed to assemble on state’s territory at any cost,” said Singh.
