Maoist camp busted, arms and ammunition seized in Odisha

Berhampur: A Maoist camp in a reserve forest at the tri-junction of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts was busted on Friday with a huge quantity of ammunition seized while a cadre arrested.

The camp at Pandakhol reserve forest was busted in an operation by the CRPF and Special Operations Group based on intelligence after the exchange of fire between security forces and Maoists at Salima Gochha, five days ago, Superintendent of Police, Ganjam, Ashish Kumar Singh said.

The arrested cadre of the Odisha Maobadi Party, which is led by Sabyasachi Panda, was identified as 42-year-old Damba Mallick alias Raju from Krupagadi village in Ganjam district, Singh said.

There was no exchange of fire during the operation, CRPF commandant, 127 battalion Naresh Sharma said.

Three 5.5-mm INSAS rifles, two .303 rifles, 136 rounds of ammunition, four magazines, 20 detonators, batteries and wires, 10-kg splinters, use for manufacturing bombs and a bayonet were seized from the camp.

The seized ISAS rifles were looted by Maoists from the district armoury at Nayagarh during an attack in 2008, when 13 police persons were killed, Singh said.

Seized items also included medicines, contraceptives tablets, baby syrup and clothes.