As many as seven maoist rebels died in the gunbattle between security forces and Maoists in latehar on Monday.
The encounter lasted for more than two hours. However, the Maoist rebels managed to flee with dead bodies of four members, rest three bodies were recovered by the security forces, sources said. The Police have recovered one INSAS, two country-made rifles, one walkie-talkie, literature on naxal and objectionable materials among others.
Following a tip off, latehar SP Kranti Kumar Gardesi raided Peeri village under Gaaru PS in latehar District. The raid led to a clash between armed squad of naxal organisation CPI-Maoists and jawans of COBRA. Around 2000 rounds of bullets were fired from both sides during the gun-battle.
Gardesi said the Police received secret information that top maoist rebel leaders have congregated to hatch plots to create trouble. “We received specific inputs that some people have gathered in the jungle. So we conducted operation in the area based on the input,” said Gadidesi. The jawans of COBRA 203 and 209 involved in the operation.