Cache of arms recovered after gun-battle with Naxals

Security forces have recovered a cache of arms, including an SLR rifle, after an exchange of fire with Maoists in Naxal-hit region of Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh.
The recovery was made from Malaeda forests of Gatapar police station area last evening when a joint team of security personnel was conducting an anti-insurgency operation in the region bordering Madhya Pradesh, Rajnandgaon SP Prashant Agrawal said.
Based on the inputs about the movement of Naxals in Ghaghra, Dhiri, Murum and Malaeda villages of the region, located around 200 kms away from Raipur, a composite team of police was dispatched towards the area on Tuesday, he said.

While the police party was advancing into Malaeda, they confronted Maoists following which a gun-battle broke out between both the sides that lasted for a short time, he said.
During the search of the spot, one SLR, four 12-bore guns, live cartridges, solar plate, Maoist uniforms, bags and other items of daily use were recovered from the spot, Agrawal said.
"Drag marks and blood stains found at the spot indicate that some Naxals were injured in the encounter, but their colleagues managed to take them away from the spot," he said.