Odisha police foiled a Maoist ambush plot in Boudh district as they detected over 35 improvised explosive devices set up in the forest area, a preliminary report said on December 15.
After being tipped off about movement of some left wing extremists (LWEs) in Nalikumbha forest of Boudh district, Special Operation Group, a specialised anti-LWE force, and Boudh district police had launched a search operation on Thursday. During the search, security forces were fired upon by Naxalites and security forces resorted to retaliatory firing. The exchange of fire continued for an hour.
“During search operation in Boudh district, we have come across about 35 IEDs in the Nalikumbha forest. Most of these IEDs were exploded at spot. We have recovered modern weapons used by these LWEs,” Suresh Dev Datta Singh, Additional Director General of Police (Operation), said.
Mr. Singh said a truck-load of LWEs materials including weapons were being transported from the forest while the search operation was still continuing.
The ADG (operation) said there could be around 25 to 30 LWES in the forest spraying bullets on security forces. They, however, could not stand up retaliatory firing by security forces and fled the spot.
“We suspect these extremists may belong to KKBN (Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh) division of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). The operation was vital as it dealt body blow to CPI (Maoist) in the region,” he pointed out.
There was no casualty reported from any side. Odisha police said after complete combing operation, exact information on seizure and casualty, if any, on part of CPI (Maoist) could be ascertained.
On Thursday, two LWEs had surrendered before police in the presence of S.K. Bansal, Director General of Police, in Kandhamal district. The two Maoists, identified as Ranjit Naitam and Unga Poyam, are native of Chhattishgarh were deputed in Kandhamal district six months ago. Thew were associated in several violence, police said.
