Three-Hour battle with Mcci ultras hiding in Bihar

Hazaribagh, Sept 01 (UNI) A nearly three-hour gun-battle took place between the banned MCCI and joint group of Jharkhand Police and CRPF personnel at Bhattagaddha under Bihar's Gaya district last night.

The Maoist Communist Centre of India ultras were taking shelter in the area along the Jharkhand--Bihar boundary, Superintendent of Police Pravin Kumar Singh said here today. He said no casulty was reported during the encounter in which police fired 800 rounds and the extremists about 2000 rounds of bullets.

The SP said the ultras were planning to blast the Chouparan Police station in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district.

He said acting on a tip off the joint group of the forces raided Bhattagaddha area under Mohanpur Police Station with prior permission from the Bihar police.

On seeing the security forces, the ultras opened fire on them forcing the latter to retaliate. The gun battle lasted about three hours.

Police recovered a rifle, cartridges, an ID bomb, 8 KGs of explosives and naxal literature from the spot.

Three persons were arrested for interrogation, Mr Singh added.

UNI XC-AM-PRS PL AB 1834