Many dead Maoists between 15-18 years

Even as the security forces and the state police officers were busy ascertaining the identity of the Maoists killed in an encounter in Ranja forest in Salboni on Wednesday,a red alert was sounded in the Maoist-affected areas for a possible retaliation from the outfit.

The state administration and the CRPF were concerned about the five-day bandh called by the Maoists and the Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities PCAPA from Friday to coincide with the first anniversary of the joint operations. The bandh has been called to demand withdrawal of the joint forces and mourn the death of the Maoist cadres in Wednesdays encounter. Going by past experience,the Maoists generally plan their attacks during bandhs.

While the majority of those killed seemed to be in their teens between 15-18 years conflicting claims were made about the identification of the slain Maoists. The state police identified six Maoists,but the state committee of the CPIMaoists gave five different names of its cadres killed in the encounter.