Jamshedpur, Oct. 21: At least two rebels were injured in a morning encounter between the police and CPI(Maoist) in the Ghatshila sub-division of East Singhbhum district, about 70km from here.

The Jharkhand Armed Police, the Special Task Force and the CRPF were carrying out an anti-insurgency operation in the Bonadungri jungle of Ghurabandha when Maoists ambushed policemen. The 30-member gang started spraying bullets on them. The police returned fire.

The gun and grenade battle, which began around 7.30am, continued for over an hour. East Singhbhum superintendent of police Naveen Kumar Singh, leading the special operation, said police fired 76 rounds and lobbed two grenades. The rebels fled after firing about 100 rounds.

The police found empty rifle cartridges and two haversacks containing dry food, medicines and clothes. “Since we found two haversacks, we suspect two of the rebels were injured. The others helped them flee,” he said.

Singh said they had intelligence input that the Ghurabandha squad of Naxalite leader Putu Munda was active in the Bonadungri jungle and, so, had organised the special operation. He said the rebels struck Ghurabandha after a lull of four months.