A landmine blast was allegedly triggered by Maoists near the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Border (AOB) on Tuesday, near Jakkam village.

According to a report in PTI, around 10 outlaws triggered the blast when they noticed a special party team combing the area, before exchanging fire with the team from the Visakhapatnam District Police.

The Naxals fired upon the police personnel, who retaliated and made the Maoists flee into the forest, Visakhapatnam Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma told reporters.

No causalities were reported, and police have beefed up security in the area.

Maoists are presently indulging themselves in the annual People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week, which began from December 2.

According to reports, during the PLGA, the Maoists attempt to regroup, hold public meetings, take up recruitment drives and also try to destroy government property or target security personnel.

“Keeping this in mind, we intensified the combing operations with more security personnel,” said DIG Visakhapatnam range Srikanth was quoted as saying.

This comes a day after three Naxals from Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district surrendered to the police on Monday. 

The trio, identified as Madivi Jogayya alias Roshan, Kaluma Pojja alias Radha, and Sunnam Nagesh, turned themselves in before East Godavari Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni.

In October this year, Andhra Pradesh Director-General of Police (DGP) N Sambasiva Rao said that Maoists were losing ground in the state, and assured citizens that the extremism was under control.

“Naxal activities have come down in the state and on its borders. Maoists should tell us what they want from the government. We appeal to them to shun violence and join the mainstream. The police have been doing a commendable job in combating Naxalism. Seventeen Naxal-related incidents were reported on the State’s borders last year. The number was much bigger earlier,” the DGP was quoted as saying.