165 detonators, 50 IEDs, 20 explosives, 63 grenades, 20 bullets, rations, medicines, 100 litres diesel, cordex wire and other items were seized from two hideouts, they added.
The injured personnel, identified as assistant commandants Varunendra Singh and Jitendra Singh, havildar Subhash Shinde of Cobra 209 batallion and police sub-inspectors Prabhakar Munda and Vinay Kumar of Latehar, were air-lifted to Ranchi for treatment, the officials said, adding that the operation which began last evening has now ended.
There was information that four ultras, who were injured in a recent encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh, were being brought to Latehar through Buda Pahar for treatment, officials said.
Also that top Maoist leader Arvind, who carries a reward of Rs one crore on his head, along with senior LWE leaders Sudhakakran from Andhra Pradesh and others had assembled at Buda Pahar, they said.
The security personnel entered the Maoist hideouts in the dense forest in total darkness. Apart from Latehar, Garwah, Palamau district police force, Chhattisgarh police also participated in the operation led by SP Anoop Birtheray, police said.
The security personnel in the past had at least 12 armed encounters with Arvind and the operation yesterday was stated to be the biggest launched in Latehar after the recent visit by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The Central Reserve Police Force CRPF) is deployed in the state as part of the anti-Naxal operations grid.
CT-HT