Jamshedpur, Dec. 15: In a fierce gun battle between security forces and Maoists, a COBRA jawan of CRPF�s Battalion 203 was injured in Jharjhara under Chakardharpur Police Station area of West Singhbum on Saturday morning.
The injured jawan, P Raju, was later taken to Ranchi in a helicopter. Police sources said a joint team of COBRA, CRPF and district police personnel was conducting search operations in the forest when it came under firing by the Maoists.
Deputy Inspector General, Kolhan, Kuldeep Dwivedi said the ultras had opened fire after which security forces retaliated. Over 100 rounds were fired from both sides during the encounter.
�Several rounds of fierce encounters between the naxals and the para-military forces have taken place in the forests of Kolhan. The insurgency operation jointly with CRPF, currently going on, between villages on the bordering Sonua and Khuti in Porahat block in West Singhbhum,� said an official.
Police said the area has been sealed and a combing operation has been launched to flush out the Maoist guerrillas from the area.
The injured jawan was operated in Ranchi. Meanwhile, the police and paramilitary forces have started frisking commuters in the bordering areas. At some places common people are also being interrogated by police and paramilitary force on suspicion. Forces have been deployed in strategic locations.
Police said that the security has been beefed up in the area and they were keeping strict vigil on movement of the Naxalites. �There has been a substantial increase in Maoist activities in this. We are not much concerned about small acts of violence because these activities can be controlled by us, but the bigger attacks are worrisome,� said a security official.
Police sources have informed that on the basis of the leads provided by the arrested naxalite joint team of police and paramilitary forces are raiding at different places in Saranda area to nab other Maoists too.
Sources informed that the police have decided to ensure strict vigil and deploy additional security forces in the fringe areas. �Security has been beefed up in the area and they were keeping strict vigil on movement of the Naxalites. The plan is to keep a tab on the camps being operated by ultras,� said another official.