Jharkhand: Police, CRPF bust Naxal camp in Saranda forest; mortars recovered

Jharkhand Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in a joint anti-insurgency operation busted a huge CPI-Maoist camp and recovered huge cache of mortar shells and arms and ammunition from Saranda forest in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday.

A senior CRPF personnel not authorised to talk to the media said that an anti-insurgency operation was launched in Jharkhand-Odisha borders after they received specific inputs of Maoist cadres gathering in Saranda forest.

The security forces recovered 10 51MM mortars, safety caps of mortars, single barrel gun, electric detonators, live ammunitions, bomb making materials, Maoist uniforms, Jharkhand Map, naxal literature and daily usage material from the recently set Naxal camp from the Asia’s largest Sal forest.

“The joint operation was launched on Tuesday evening,” added the CRPF official.

He further added that Naxal cadres opened fired at the security forces as we approached near their camp on Wednesday late.

“Maoist leaders and other cadres managed to escape in the dense forest taking benefit of the night,” added the CRPF officer.

He added after the gunbattle a sanitization operation was launched in the area and during the combing the security forces busted the Naxal camp.