Not being familiar with the school terrain, we were not aware about the gate behind the school which led into the forests. I could see some Maoists jumping down the terrace to escape bullets of which 2 seemed to be injured in some way. As the firing continued, the drivers of the Anti Landmine Vehicles found their way to the school using the fields. Seeing the armoured vehicles approach, the Maoist who had been rallying continuous shots at us also jumped down on the other side and continued firing till he could find his safe retreat into the jungle.

After about 15 minutes it could be realized that it was time to barge into the school where about 100 young students were seated huddled with tremendous fear in their eyes in the main compound. These young lots had witnessed all the firing at such close quarters. It was due to these students that we could not use grenades or other automatic burst fire directed at the Maoists retreating from the School in order to avoid collateral damage.

One Maoist sympathizer who had hidden himself behind a pillar suddenly emerged and was immediately overpowered and arrested. His interrogation later helped us to understand that the Maoists had been organizing a medical camp at the school building since the last week or so and had been regularly using the school for their activities as a shelter and meeting point.

To be continued.....