The jawans of the 16th Battalion of Chhattisgarh Police repelled an attack launched by Maoist insurgents at the Base camp of Daudi-Salhaitola road late even as the latter attempted to torch some vehicles at a rail line project site torch late on Friday night.
Delayed reports reaching here stated that the firing between the insurgents and the police ensued for nearly half-an-hour and after finding the jawans determined to repel the attack , the insurgents fled from the scene.
later, the District Collector, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Superintendent of Police (SP) arrived at the scene of encounter and spoke to the jawans.
As per the information received, about 20 uniformed and men and three women carrying arms arrived at Ravghat Rail line project site at about 11 pm which is barely 100 metres from the Daundi Panchayat office and woke up the sleeping workers.
The insurgents took up the mobile phones of the workers and warned them not to raise an alarm. They told the workers that they have arrived to torch the vehicles parked at the site.
The insurgents after taking away the mobile phones of the workers started breaking up the diesel tanks of around 50 'Hiva'' vehicles .The noise of breaking the tanks alerted the jawans of the 16th battalion who were on duty nearby who shouted to know who was making the noise to which the insurgents opened fire.
The insurgents took cover of the vehicles parked at the site to fire to which the jawans responded by hurling a total of four para bombs whose illumination led to even intense firing by the insurgents. However, consistent firing by the jawans made the insurgents flee from the site.
It was learnt that the insurgents had arrived with the intention of torching Hiva vehicles, crusher and other equipment at the site. However the insurgents were clueless that the jawans of the 16th battalion were not far away from the site.
Just a day before the incident, the jawans told the senior police officials that some children had tipped them off that the insurgents had informed the people of a village near Salhaitola that they were planning to torch the vehicles and equipment at the site and that they must help them in their task.
The jawans had later cautioned the officers and workers at the site to remain alert. The insurgents while fleeing left a polythene bag having 11 pamphlets written in red, sources informed.