Raipur, January 21: Paramilitary troopers and police constables fought a pitched battle with Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district Monday and recovered a huge cache of explosives.

The Special Task Force (STF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) raided a Maoist hideout in Dantewada's Kirandul area Monday afternoon.

"STF and CRPF fought a fierce battle with the Leftist insurgents for at least 30 minutes in a forest bastion of the ultras. The rebels fled, leaving a stock of explosives, literature and uniforms," revealed Girdhari Nayak, inspector general of the state's anti-Maoist operations. He did not mention any casualties.

The Leftist insurgents have a sway over the iron-ore rich Bastar region that comprises five districts - Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Kanker - and is spread out in an area of about 40,000 sq km.