Maoists opened indiscriminate fire in the vicinity of camps of security personnel at six places in Dantewada district late tonight. The security personnel returned fire. The gunbattles,which were continuing at the time of going to press,were taking place near relief centres run by the state government popularly known as Salwa Judum camps which now act as bases for the security personnel. Firings are taking place at six places at Injaram Bhejji,Errabore,Maraiguda,Gorkha and Konta. The rebels are firing from a distance and the security forces are returning the fire, a senior police officer said in the Chhattisgarh capital,quoting preliminary reports received from the tribal Bastar division. Occasional firing has been taking place. These are forest areas. Security forces are retaliating and all police stations have been alerted. As of now,there are no reports of any casualities on any side, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) T J Longkumeer said. After the launch of the anti-Naxalite Salwa Judum movement in June 2005,a large number of people deserted their villages and took shelter in 23 relief camps set up by the state government in Dantewada district. In 2006,the Maoists attacked the Errabore relief camp,killing 33 people,including women and children. Subsequently,large contingents of security personnel were posted near the camps. As the Salwa Judum campaign died down,a majority of camp residents began to return to their villages. People still come to the camps to collect rations,but very few actually live in them. Since the April 6 massacre of 76 security personnel 75 of whom were from the CRPF at Tadmetla near Chintalnar,the Maoists have been firing in areas close to the camps of CRPF personnel,apparently in a bid to demoralize them. A CRPF team was attacked in Narayanpur district on June 29,in which 27 personnel were killed. Nearly 150 people,mostly from the security forces,have been killed in Maoist violence in the South Bastar region over the last three months. The tribal Bastar region has been on high alert following intelligence reports that a large number of Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) cadres have assembled in the forest areas for a massive attack to avenge the killing of top Maoist leader Cherkuri Rajkumar alias Azad.
