Bhubaneswar, Aug. 14: As Odisha geared up to celebrate the 71st Independence Day, Maoists, who have issued a call for boycotting the celebrations, stepped up violence engaging CRPF and Special Operations Group (SOG) jawans in a gun battle in the Gandhamardhan hills near Khaprakhol in Balangir district this morning.

Although no one was killed or injured in the exchange of fire that had lasted for over two hours, it came as a timely warning for the state police who later beefed up security. Paramilitary forces also intensified combing in the hills.

"The CRPF and SOG jawans had launched a combing operation in the Gandhamardhan hills since last night. The gun battle began when the Maoists opened fire at the security personnel. We are now searching the area," said Balangir superintendent of police K. Siva Subramani. The officer said he had requisitioned more forces to step up security in the area.

The Left wing extremists have been asking people to boycott the Independence Day. They have put up posters dubbing it as a black day at several places in their strongholds.

On Sunday, the Balangir-Bargarh-Mahasamund division of the banned CPI (Maoist) had released an audio-tape with an appeal to the people not to celebrate the day and instead observe it as a black day.

In the audio, Maoist spokesperson Budhuram Paharia urged people to hoist black flags instead of the Tricolour on August 15. "Independence Day is being celebrated only for the namesake," the Maoist leader had said in the audio.

For the past sometime, the rebels have been trying to consolidate their base by unleashing terror, especially targeting alleged police informers.

Last Monday, the Maoists had killed the sarpanch of Hatibari village under Nandpur block in Koraput district by slitting his throat.

The sarpanch, Jagnnath Khara, who the Maoists suspected of passing on information about them to the police, was dragged out of his house by a group of rebels.

Later, his bloodied body was found with his throat slit on the outskirts of the village.

The Maoists had also torched some vehicles belonging to the deceased before disappearing into the nearby forest.

In a hand-written letter recovered from the spot the rebels had warned the people of the area to refrain from taking up police or home guard jobs.

Rayagada sub-divisional police officer Jagannath Rao said the Maoists were deliberately targeting village chiefs to send out a message that they wanted complete loyalty from local people.