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Angul/Jeypore: Maoists and security personnel are involved in a fire exchange near Purunakote area under Satakosia sanctuary in Angul district on Sunday morning.
Angul SP Rajesh Pandit said there is no immediate information about any casualties so far.
Till reports last came in, the exchange of fire was continuing in the area.
Sources said the locals informed the district police after noticing suspicious movement of some unknown people in the area. Acting on the information, the police launched a combing operation in the area. During the operation, the Maoists suddenly opened at the police to which the latter retaliated.
In a related development, suspected Maoists torched a mobile phone tower at Kathapada in Baipariguda area of Koraput district late on Saturday night.
BSF sources said around 25-30 Maoists late last night torched the mobile phone of a private company.
A Maoist poster, found near the spot by the police, said the red rebels are opposed to the setting up of the mobile towers in the area.
It is believed the red rebels are unhappy with the establishment of mobile phone towers in the remote areas as details of their movement are being passed onto the security forces resulting in failure of execution of their plans, police said.
As the State police have put a dent in the Left Wing Extremists stronghold in the southern districts, the CPI (Maoist) is expanding its base in Central Odisha taking the security forces by surprise.
Maoists are operating in the Satkosia Tiger Reserve taking advantage of its geographical location. Given the dense forests and hills on both sides of Mahanadi, the area provides perfect foil to the Maoists who taken full advantage of it.
Earlier, Pallahara had also witnessed movement of the naxals.
Source said the recent movement of Maoists in Angul is more through Athmallik-Binkai-Thakurgarh-Handappa-Chhendipara-Rairakhol-Deogarh corridor.
Security experts are of the opinion that it is the high time the State Police should mobilise the Central Para Military Forces in Angul.
