In a major success the Rajnandgaon police on Sunday seized a large haul of guns, man-pack sets and daily use items from Maoist possession in Bukmarka forest bordering Maharashtra and in the Maoist-hit Rajanandgaon district of Chhattisgarh.
According to police sources, Kanker police had specific input about presence of Maoists in the forests of Bukmarka, Sambalpur, Pardi and Parvadih of the restive Rajnandgaon. Accordingly, a strategy was chalked out and five teams of District Police Force (DPF), Special Task Force (STF) and Indo Tibet Border Police (ITBP) were formed and an extensive manhunt was launched.
The first police party which consisted of ITBP and DPF entered the jungle of Teregaon, Uchapur, Sambalpur from Kohka base camp. Likewise second party consisting of ITBP, DPF and STF personnel led by Additional SP (Naxal Ops) YP Singh entered the Bukmarka jungle which borders the neighbouring State of Maharashtra. In the same way third party led by Amit Beria Station House Officer (SHO) Mohla, consisting of DPF and ITBP jawans moved into Madrail, Mudiyal and Tatoda hill forests. The fourth party comprising of ITPB and DPF personnel entered Pardi, Parvidih jungles from base camp Panabras and the fifth party entered the Sangali, Chirchari forest from base camp Bhajtola, sources informed.
“During the search operation on Sunday morning in Bukmarka jungles, left wing insurgents numbering around 40 to 50 suddenly attacked the police party led by ASP, YP Singh and the police party retaliated fiercely. After the gunbattle that lasted for about one hour the Maoists retreated and fled into the Maharashtra forest,” informed Superintendent of Police, Rajnandgaon, Dr Sanjeev Shukla.
Later, during the intense searching police recovered 2 guns, wireless sets, detonators, blasting cables, explosives used in preparing tiffin bombs, Maoist dress, utensils, tent, ration and other daily use items that the Maoists had left behind. The police have registered a case under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 25, 27 Arms Act at Manpur police station.
