Police, Naxalites exchange fire on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border

After exchanging gunfire with Naxalites along the border of both states, the police in the nearby states of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra's Gadchiroli region discovered explosives, Maoist literature, and other materials in a joint operation.

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

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.