Phulbani: Security forces have recovered a Maoist dump containing a huge quantity of arms, ammunition, explosives and other materials from a forest area in Odisha’s Kandhamala district.
The recovery comes months after the district was officially declared Maoist-free on March 31. The weapons were suspected to have been hidden by the ultras earlier.
Acting on intelligence inputs, security personnel launched a search operation across forests under Raikia, Baliguda, Daringbadi and Kotgarh police station jurisdictions. The operation covered areas including Babuti, Jimabari, Karahapanga, Gararmaha, Jimaraha, Telsi, Sidupadar, Padalamala, Matabari, Teranipanga, Jhajhibari, Tukubari, Satari, Salakingia, Parigada and Penamal.
During the operation, a Maoist dump was found in the Matabari forest area of Daringbadi. The seized materials reportedly included a 12-bore rifle, a single-shot rifle, an SBL grenade, 19 electric detonators, a bundle of Cordtex, 13 rounds of .303 ammunition, single-shot ammunition, gelatin sticks, detonators and an IED-fitted tiffin box.
Police also recovered electric wires, a medical kit, additional gelatin sticks, ammunition, a solar panel and several other Maoist-related articles from the site.
Kandhamal SP Ramendra Prasad said the operation was conducted by five SOG teams, three units of the 108 Battalion of the BSF and one team of the District Voluntary Force (DVF).
