In West Bengal, Maoists exchanged fire with joint forces in West Midnapore district on Thursday as they recovered a landmine in the town during patrolling. The joint forces during normal patrolling noticed the landmine at Malbandi under Kotwali police station area.<br/><br/>As the planted explosive was taken out and defused, a heavy exchange of fire between the Maoists and the joint forces followed in the jungles of Bakshibandh for nearly an hour. However there was no casualty.<br/>