The only eye witness, DC Misra, SI Incharge, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), told this author that sub-inspector SC Pradhan, along with seven other constables belonging to CISF, has been killed in the attack, while six Naxalites suspected to be CPI (Maoists) were also killed in the encounter. Misra told this author that the operation by the Naxalites went on from 9.20 pm in the evening to 7.30 am the next morning.

It is quite surprising that the Naxalites managed to ransack the control room, guest house and other office rooms manned by CISF and also disrupt the entire communication system. The eye witness said that around 200 Naxalites entered the mining complex, some of them even women. They had with them, six sophisticated weapons, a truck-load of explosive materials, two bowlers and one bus.

All the dead bodies were sent for post mortem to Koraput District Head Quarter hospital and two seriously injured constables have been shifted to Visakhapatnam Hospital, as told by  Misra. NALCO’s high officials were not available for comment, while the police officials, when contacted, did not provide any information. In fact, the police had not even reached the site of the incident till 11.30 am, after everything was over. The sub-inspector in charge also informed that the attackers even took money, clothes and other petty goods with them.
 
The Naxalites had kept red banners reading ‘Danger’ and ‘Entry Restricted’ at the entrance. These banners alone proved enough to terrorise the visiting news people and other officials.