The extremists Thursday suffered a major blow when security forces raided their training camp at Karmadih in Latehar and recovered 10 can bombs and rations that could sustain the ultras for at least one week.
A tip-off by an arrested ultra Biswanth Singh led the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force and District Armed Police to the camp, Deputy Inspector General of Police Ramlakhan Prasad said.
Around 150 left-wing Maoists as claimed by the arrested ultra, however, got wind of the raid and deserted the camp.
The extremist was arrested Wednesday night after a brief exchange of fire between the police and Communist Party of India-Maoist activists at Demakhand under Garu police station, Prasad said.
Besides the can bombs, the camp housed 1.5 kg explosives, 32 blankets, six petro-max lamps, five tents, 200 sacks containing food grains, 50 utensils and six syntex tanks, Prasad said.
The camp, which was situated near Palamu Tiger Project, which spreads to Latehar district had been organised by the ultras to trigger violence, Prasad said.
The raid was headed by Inspector General of Police B K Pandey, the DIG said.
More from rediff