CRPF, Maoist battle rages in Penta

The CRPF-police party that left Chintalnar also got engaged in another battle with Maoists at a place called Penta. During the exchange of fire, two rebels were shot down and a few taken hostage. The CRPF is also said to have recovered some weapons and different materials including food, solar panels, clothes, tents indicating existence of a platoon level training camp, said the sources.

“Sixteen bodies were recovered at Basuguda while two were recovered from Penta near Chintalnar. The forces have also recovered weapons and other belongings from the Maoist hideout,” CRPF IG (Operations) at force headquarters in Delhi Pankaj Kumar Singh confirmed.

However, one of the Maoist who was airlifted for medical attention also died, bringing the number of ultras dead to 19. Two of the six Cobra personnel are serious.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, during his monthly media briefing in the national capital, told reporters that among the killed ultras, three were “important leaders” of the Maoist cadre. He identified them as Somulu, Nagesh and Mahesh.