Combing operations in Ghatshila. File picture

Bhubaneswar/Raipur, Feb. 18: Combing operations in the Orissa forests yielded nothing but a cache of old, rejected weapons today, while in neighbouring Chattisgarh, the battle against Naxalites proved to be more decisive with the security forces claiming 13 rebel deaths.

Both Orissa DGP G.C. Nanda and later chief minister Naveen Patnaik claimed that over 400 of the 1,000 arms taken away by Maoists in last week’s daring raid at armouries in Nayagarh had been recovered in combing operations in the Gosama forests.

But in reality, most of these were 3.3 rifles either destroyed or rejected by the Maoists, admitted a senior police officer involved in the operation that’s being carried out jointly by Greyhound forces from Andhra, the CRPF and the state police.

Also no Maoists was arrested today. Even though the establishment sought to put it differently.

Nanda told The Telegraph the combing team recovered more than 400 weapons and around 40,000 live ammunition looted by the rebels. Patnaik went a step further claiming that security forces had recovered about 40 per cent of the looted weapons and more than 50 per cent of the looted ammunition.

Though Naveen claimed there had been substantial Maoist casualties, he could not give figures. “The details of casualties are being collected,” he said. Police sources also admitted the Maoists might have escaped to the Uikhia forests as there was no return fire in the Gosama region. The Greyhound unit stationed at Bhanjanagar had been asked to move to Tikabali area in neighbouring Kandhamal district.

“Intensive combing operations are in progress. It is expected that groups of Maoists would be apprehended shortly,” Patnaik said, adding Union home minister Shivraj Patil had agreed to send five more companies of the CRPF.

In Chattisgarh’s Bijapur district, security forces were locked in two separate encounters with Maoists, which led to the deaths of 13 rebels. Six CRPF jawans also died.

A group of CRPF jawans from the 31st battalion was ambushed by rebels at Korampara, about 5km from Mirthur and 500km south of Raipur. The rebels detonated powerful landmines that led to an exchange of fire. Three Maoists and six CRPF jawans were killed.

Near Erasmetta, about 4km from Korampara, security personnel managed to surround a group of retreating Maoists. In the encounter that followed, 10 Maoists were killed. “The bodies of all the 10 Maoists have been recovered,” said inspector-general of police R.K. Vij.