Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Feb 8 (IANS): Maharashtra Police recovered explosives after an encounter with Maoists in the forest near Hiddur Village, Narayanpur area of the Gadchiroli district late on Wednesday night, an official said here on Thursday.

Police got a tip off that a group of armed Maoists were camping on the outskirts of Hiddur with plans to conduct a recce of Wangeturi and Gardewada for their subversive activities.

A four-member team of crack C-60 commandos, led by Additional Superintendent (Operations) Yatish Deshmukh, launched a search operation in the evening.

When they were barely 500 metres from Hiddur Village, the Maoists hiding in the jungles opened fire at them around 7 pm.

The C-60 commandos returned fire which forced the Maoists to retreat from the area under cover of darkness.

The commandos recovered explosives, bundles of wires, IED battery, detonators, hooks for claymore mines, solar panels, bags and Maoist literature from the area.

Intensive combing and search operations have been launched in the area to trace any other suspicious objects and activities there, said officials.