Bhubaneswar: A major anti-Maoist operation in the dense Saranda-Baliba forest region turned intense on Wednesday when security forces clashed with Maoist cadres, leaving five personnel of the CoBRA Battalion injured.
The injured jawans were immediately airlifted to a hospital in Ranchi for urgent medical care. Four of them were stated to be in stable condition while one remained critical.
According to reports, the encounter broke out during a large-scale search and combing operation that began on Wednesday morning based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of around 15 Maoists, including a squad led by a high-value target. The gun battle erupted in the hilly terrain near Baliba under Chotanagra police station limits and lasted for several hours. An IED explosion is also reported to have triggered the initial exchange of fire, after which both sides engaged in prolonged shooting. Security forces have sealed exit routes and are continuing extensive combing across the area. In view of the situation, a high alert has been sounded along the Odisha-Jharkhand border to prevent any movement of Maoist operatives.
This operation is part of the ongoing intensified drive by security forces to flush out Left Wing Extremists from the Saranda forest, long considered a Maoist stronghold.Further details on the casualties on the Maoist side, if any, are awaited.
