Midnapore (WB), Feb 3 : For the first time since the death of top ultra leader Kishenji in November in junglemahal, an armed encounter took place between the Maoists and joint security forces in West Midnapore district today, but there was no casualty.
The forces on a tip off that Maoist squad leader Robin Mandi was holding a meeting of cadres in at Jhauri forest under Gopiballabhpur police station surrounded the area, police sources said.
The ultras opened fire on the security forces who retaliated and the encounter continued for an hour, the sources said.
There was no casualty, the sources said.
After the firing stopped, the police combed the area and found a .303 rifle, several landmines and crude bombs, the sources said.
The police had on January 21 foiled a Maoist plan to attack the IAF's Kalaikunda airbase to avenge the death of Kishenji.
The plot was discovered following the arrest of six linkmen on the basis of a statement of a Maoist sympathizer nabbed from Indravati forest in the district 12 days earlier.