Orissa sounds high alert after encounter with Maoists

Baripada, Dec 26 (UNI) The Orissa Police today sounded a "high alert" along Mayurbhanj district bordering Jharkhand and West Bengal after an encounter with the Maoist group yesterday.

Police sources said the ''Special Operation Group''(SOG), engaged in combing operation, had an hour long encounter with five Maoist rebels at Ghatiduba, a foothill village under Sarisapal Gram Panchayat, about 55km from here yesterday.

The SOG team, especially trained in anti-naxal strategies, launched the combing operation after receiving a tip-off that the Maoist rebels, in their uniforms, were moving in and around the foothill village.

Mayurbhanj Superintendent of Police Ravi Kant said the Maoist activists fired first at the force which fired back in retaliation.

He said at least two Maoist rebels had been injured in the encounter. The Maoists, however, taking the advantage of the fall of darkness during the operation have disappeared into dense cover taking two injured companions with them.

The Superintendent of Police said the combing operations has been intensified and the Central Reserve Police Force, Armed Police Reserve and the Orissa State Armed Police have joined the SOG in the combing operations.

Mr Kant, who rushed to the spot, said some incriminating documents had been seized by the force from the place of encounter. These included a container of explosives, kit bags containing Maoist literatures in Hindi and Bengali,Very High Frequency(VHF) wireless mode equipments, magnetic compass to locate directions, GPS (Global Positioning Systems).

Meanwhile, wildlife lovers have expressed apprehensions that the Maoists might sneak into the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) and make it a hub for the rebels.

UNI XC-DP JYN DB1511