Police destroy Maoist camp, one rebel held

BHUBANESWAR - A rebel was nabbed as police destroyed a Maoist camp in Orissa’s Sundergarh district and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the site, an official said Saturday.

The camp was destroyed Friday afternoon in a forest under Bargaon police station area, about 465 km from here, P.K. Pradhan, deputy commandant of the district security battalion told IANS.

The district authorities disclosed about the incident only after police personnel returned from the site Saturday, he said.

According to him, police attacked the camp and engaged in a gun battle with the Maoists. One rebel was nabbed while the others managed to flee.

Police recovered nine rifles from the camp located on Orissa-Jharkhand border, he said.

The other materials seized from the camp include 150 bullet rounds, five mobile phones, Rs.5,000 in cash, several kit bags and Maoist literature, he added.

Earlier, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper was arrested Friday in the same district for having links with Maoist rebels.