Bokaro police and CRPF personnel have recovered a cache of arms and ammunition near Rajberwa forest area belonging to the CPI (Maoists) squad of Mithilesh Mahto. The Bokaro police have recovered domestic items and detonators from Jhumra forest after an encounter with ultras of CPI(Maoists) on Wednesday afternoon. The police seized cell phones, several pieces of clothes, uniform, blanket and other daily use goods.
Acting on a tip off about Mithilesh Mahto squad’s gathering at Rajberwa hill under Chatrochati police station, district police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 26th battalion marched there on Wednesday morning, SP Bokaro Kartik S said.
“Chatrochati, Gomia, IE Land Konar camp police and CRPF personnel found that CPI (Maoists) wings of Mithilesh Mahto and wing had gathered arms and ammunition. On Wednesday early afternoon, Maoists were asked to surrender, but they started firing on police. After heavy exchange of fire for about half an hour, Maoists activists escaped from the site for domestic items leaving behind,” added the SP.
Sources said the search operation is still going on to trace Mithilesh Mahto's activists here on Thursday. There was no casualty from our side. We are trying to find out if Maoists were injured in the encounter,” he added.
"Recovery reveals that the activists had been planning for a big massive violence in Jhumra. Villagers and police personnel could be saved from big attack due to timely information and rampant action by the security forces”, the SP said.
The police are hopeful that crucial information might have been stored in the seized items. Further search operation would be conducted in the area on the basis of information, taken from the tip-off, police said.