Trooper injured in gun battle with Maoists in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Oct 16: A trooper was injured in an overnight gun battle with Maoist guerrillas in Jharkhand's Latehar district, police said on Monday.

According to police, a trooper of the Indian Reserve Battalion sustained a bullet injury to his chest in the gun battle in Balumath of Latehar district. The gun battle began after midnight and ended on Monday morning.

The injured IRB jawan was brought to Ranchi for treatment.

The gun battle took place when security personnel, on a tip-off, surrounded the area and tried to arrest the Maoist guerrillas.

The Maoists started firing at the security personnel, with the gun battle lasting for more than five hours.

Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of the state.