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Around 50 armed Naxals attacked a complex of state-owned National Mineral Development Corporation, which is said to house large quantities of explosives, triggering a gunbattle with Central Industrial Security Force personnel guarding the key economic installation on Monday night.
Official sources said the Naxals attacked the premises of the firm in Kirandul on Monday evening and an encounter is currently on with the CISF personnel.
There was, however, no immediate report of any casualty on either side.
Sources said the Maoists entered the Corporation complex and burnt some vehicles. The complex is said to have large quantity of explosives used in mining.
The attack was apparently aimed at looting explosives from the NMDC complex, said the sources.
NMDC currently operates a number of mines in Bailadila hills of the district. The Kirandul mine, which is known as Bailadila-14 mine, is the first large scale open cast
mechanised iron ore mine in India for which Detailed Project Report was prepared by the NMDC.
The mine has the distinction of having unique down-the-hill conveyor system passing through a tunnel to transport iron ore from crushing plant to processing plant.