According to police, it was not immediately known as to whether there were any casualties in the exchange of fire, which lasted for over one hour. Police suspect that naxals could have suffered casualties as there were blood stains at the place of encounter. Police did not suffer casualties in the incident. The gang had at least 10 naxals, police added.
The ANF was on a combing operation when a stranger shouted loudly 'who is it? Who is it?' and then fired at the police. The police returned the fire and the exchange of fire followed for nearly one hour. After that naxals beat a hasty retreat.
Materials found
Police found four tents, three grenades, naxal literature, letters addressed to newspapers, condoms, food prepared in large quantity, 50 bullets, three detonators, two walkie-talkie, one knife, three bags, six pairs of chappals, two umbrellas, some clothes.
According to the police, the ANF personnel tasted the food and found that it was not tasty.
Police suspect that firing might resume.
The anti-naxal personnel are going ahead with the combing operation, covering the entire area.
District SP M N Nagaraj said the blood stains at the spot clearly indicated that some naxals were injured.
The squad has been chasing the naxals as injured might not have gone deep inside the forest, he added.
Rumour mill active
Rumours spread across the district on Friday that two naxal leaders, one of them being B G Krishnamurthy, were killed in the encounter.
About a month ago, there were rumours of police chasing BGKrishnamurthy was doing the rounds in the district.
Two days ago a group of naxalites had visited the house of a villager in the area and wanted him to give them his double-barrel gun but he refused.
Police said the same group visited him again yesterday and on getting this information, the force launched combing operations.
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