The Maoists left behind horses and a big haul of explosives before retreating after an encounter with the jawans of the CoBRA on the borders of Latehar and Gumla districts in the wee hours today, a police official said.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Manish Bharati said that there were a total of 12 horses left behind by the Maoists with one of the animals found dead.
Arvind, a member with the central committee of the CPI (Maoist), was said to be in the group that gathered near Chappi village on the borders when the encounter broke out midnight last night and lasted for several hours, Bharati said.
Though the official said blood stains were found at the spot, he did not confirm whether there was any casualty on the rebel side.
More than a dozen pressure bombs, 450 detonators, 50 IEDs, 50 grenades, 12 'black' detonators, four motor cycles, six walkie-talkie, 13 mobile handsets, a radio, uniform and several other articles were recovered from them, he said.
