Police, Naxalites exchange fire on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border

In a joint operation, the police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and neighbouring Chhattisgarh recovered explosives, Maoist literature and other material following an exchange of fire with Naxalites along the border of both states, an official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Nilotpal said.

"The Gadchiroli police had received intelligence inputs on August 15 night about the presence of a Naxalite camp of Sandra LOS (local organisation squad) and other such formations in north of Bhopalpatnam in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district along the border of the two states," he said.

The information was immediately shared with the Bijapur SP. After discussions, a joint team headed by Additional SP of Aheri (in Gadchiroli) Satish Deshmukh with nine C-60 parties comprising around 200 commandos and also comprising of Bijapur Deputy SP and 70 District Reserve Guard (DRG) commandos was formed for the combing operation, he added. C-60 is a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, while the DRG is a unit formed to combat Maoist activities in Chhattisgarh. "While the joint team was combing the area late Wednesday, Naxalites opened indiscriminate firing on the police, who retaliated. After the exchange of fire ended, a search was carried out in the area in which detonators, gelatin sticks, large amount of Naxal literature, one mobile phone, four 'pitthus' (shoulder bags), tarpaulin sheets, and other items were seized," the official said. After the operation, the joint team returned to its camp safely, he said.

"Process of registering an offence is underway at Bhopalpatnam in Bijapur," he said.