Kandhamal: In another breakthrough against residual extremist networks, the Kandhamal Police in Odisha unearthed a cache of Maoist arms, ammunition, and explosives from a remote forest dump.
The operation was launched on June 16, following specific intelligence reports.
Security forces, comprising two Special Operations Group (SOG) teams and one District Voluntary Force (DVF) unit, launched a coordinated multi-party search on June 16, following specific intelligence reports, across Sitagurha, Ganjugurha, Kutibarhi, Gudrikya, and Lanjam areas, spanning the jurisdictions of the Kotagarh, Baliguda, and Tumudibandha police limits.
During the intensive search, the teams located the hidden dump sites within Kotagarh police station limits. A specialised bomb disposal squad was immediately brought in to meticulously sweep the area for any booby traps or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) before safely securing the site. The recovered items included one .303 rifle, two 12-bore guns, two single-shot guns, one 8 mm gun with wooden butt, one .303
magazine, 18 rounds of .303 ammunition, 10 rounds of 12-bore cartridges, 35 rounds of 8 mm ammunition, 10 metres of codex wire, five electric detonators, as well as various articles of daily use and field equipment.
According to police, the uncovered cache belonged to active Maoist cadres. While Kandhamal district successfully met its national strategic target to become entirely Naxal-free by March 31, security forces have noted that old, concealed dumps remain hidden in the dense terrain.
To prevent any resurgence of extremist activities and maintain long-term stability, joint security forces, including the SOG, DVF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Border Security Force (BSF), are continuously conducting area domination and combing operations across the region.
This comes six days after security forces seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in Gangapadar, Kodamaha, Pajimaha, Tengeri and Balimaha areas of Kandhamal, following interrogation of surrendered Maoists. A self-loading rifle, guns, 30 electric detonators, and a grenade were among the items seized.
A large Maoist arms and explosives dump was also unearthed in the early hours of June 16 following an intensive search operation in the forests of Silakota, Perwai and Keskaguda under Podia police limits in Malkangiri. The seized items included three sten carbines, a country-made pistol, an SBML gun, a damaged 12-bore gun, three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) fitted with iron pipes, two powerful IEDs weighing one kg and six kg respectively, and 20 UBGL grenades.
A similar Maoist dump was unearthed on June 9 along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, and several arms and ammunition were seized.