Report by Kishore Dash; Rayagada: The Special Operation Group (SOG) commandos and Maoists exchanged fire at China Kamara village under Bandhugaon block limits in Koraput district today.Laxmipur SDPO Y.Jagannath Rao told this Odisha Diary Associate Editor that the incident took place around 11.30 am.

The police team was on their regular combing operation, when they found Maoists hiding in the forest. “The rebels opened fire first. In retaliation, the cops fired. The Maoists fled the scene and there were no casualties, Rao said.

However, the cops have nabbed Puala Sarbu, Puala Lachaya, Puala Asu and Huika Saleya, said to be the militia members of outlawed CPI (Maoist), Rao added. Three guns, one soap case bomb, huge Maoist literatures have been recovered.