Police spots four bodies near naxal encounter site

Berhampur, Feb 17: Four bodies were seen lying on the foothills of a hillock near Gosamaha village under Chakapada block in Kandhamal district today, where a fierce battle was going on between the naxalites and the security personnel since last night, police said.

The bodies had not been identified yet, as the area comes under the firing range of the ultras and hence, the forces were unable to move forward.

Orissa Home Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra told newspersons at Bhubaneswar that the rebels suffered heavy casualities during the combing operations. However, he refused to divulge into any detailed figure.

Over 300 naxals were hiding in a vast plain area covered with forests atop the hill and were in an advantage position. However, the security personnel were finding it difficult to climb the hill and reach the spot.

The ultras were virtually surrounded by the security forces from all the sides with only two options, either surrender or die.

Meanwhile, all the 15 tribal families residing at Gosamah village today fled to Kupati village, one km from there, following continuous firing between the ultras and the police.

Two platoons of Greyhound forces from Andhra Pradesh along with 30 platoons of security forces, including CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) reached Bhanjanagar, about 80 km from here, in ten police vans this morning for Gosamah, about 40 km from Bhanjanagar.

Senior police officers were chalking out strategies to flush out the naxals from the hills and was expected any time today, a senior police officer said.

UNI