Cops, Maoists exchange bullets in Jharkhand

Ranchi: Security men exchanged gunfire with Maoist ultras after unearthing a training camp of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) in Gumla district today. “An early morning joint operation by the CRPF and district police personnel busted the PLFI’s training camp at Lodan-Kotha Toli village, about 150 km from Ranchi, which triggered a 15-minute gun battle with the ultras,” Gumla superintendent of police Jatin Narwal said over phone.[caption id=“attachment_324849” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Guns reign. Reuters”]  [/caption] The ultras fired upon the police after finding themselves cornered, but were forced to retreat in the face of a strong retaliatory attack, Narwal said. During search operation, three weapons, a substantial quantity of bullets, two mobiles and rucksacks were recovered from the spot, he said. One PLFI activist, identified as Gouri Shankar Pandey, was arrested. No one was injured in the encounter, he said. The PLFI is active in Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla and Simdega districts, and the police were successful in capturing six hardcore ultras of the outfit in Ranchi district’s Mandar area last weekend. PTI