Rourkela: At least two members of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were Thursday killed during an exchange of fire between security personnel and rebels at Sorada forest in Sundargarh district.
The incident took place early Thursday morning when the members of the District Volunteer Force (DVF), Sundargarh police, were out on a search operation in view of the ensuing panchayat polls in the area.
“At least two members of the PLFI died during the 30-minute encounter. We suspect some other rebels have also sustained injuries,” IG, Western Range, R K Sharma told media.
“Circumstantial evidence suggests that some four to five members of the group were injured in the gun battle,” the IG said, adding two police officials also received minor injuries in the encounter. The police have seized a huge amount of arms from the PLFI camp, the IG said. Stating that the security forces had definite information about the movement of the PLFI cadre, Sharma said about 15 rebels were in the camp inside the jungle.
Sharma said the police team retaliated when the PLFI members opened fire on them.
The police recovered an AK-47, a point 303 rifle, seven single barrel guns, one revolver and an SLR, Sharma said adding that the police also seized three magazines of AK-47, 194 live cartridges, 45 mobile phones and one tablet, dresses, shoes, PLFI literature, some empty cartridges, medicines and other articles of daily use and food materials from the spot.
Sharma said the Orissa Police was in touch with its Jharkhand counterpart to establish the identity of the two slain PLFI cadre. PNN
