Post News Network
Angul, Dec 14: Security forces again missed a chance to arrest Maoists in Satkosia sanctuary of Angul district as the latter escaped during a combing operation Sunday.
The jawans destroyed a Maoist camp and seized a huge cache of arms, said deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Jatindra Koel (north-eastern range) at a press meet at the district police headquarters here Monday.
The security forces also seized three Motorola walkie-talkies, a mobile phone, a walkie-talkie charger, nine live bullets, a radio set, Maoist literature, torches, steel plates and vessels, plastic stools, umbrellas, Maoist fatigues and other items from the camp site at Chhutkei inside Katrang reserve forest under Purunakote police limits in the sanctuary.
The ultras were the members of the Sambalpur-Deogarh-Sundargarh division and were led by Ajay alias Bijay alias Kunu Dehuri. They had set up the camp with both Oriyas and outsiders as members. They were collecting food from the locals and were even learnt to have stolen goats from the nearby villages inside the sanctuary. Their presence had turned the sanctuary into a new corridor of the ultras.
The combing operation took place after the security forces were alerted about the presence of the ultras at a transit camp in Chhutkei. A plan was worked out to nab them following which jawans from the SOG, DVF and CRPF launched a joint operation at 8.50 am Sunday.
The jawans came face to face with 25 ultras including six women and asked them to surrender, the DIG said. However, the ultras did not heed to the jawans’ words and started firing at them from their INSS, SLR and 303 guns. Soon, the jawans retaliated and over 290 rounds were exchanged from both sides during the gun battle. Failing to stand up against the security forces, the ultras fled the spot, he added.
Superintendent of police Rajesh Pandit, CRPF commandant SK Pradhan and assistant commandant Ajay Sekhar attended the press meet. PNN