Self-Loading Rifle, Live Ammunition Seized From Maoist Dump In Odisha’s Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar: Odisha police have unearthed a Maoist dump and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition in Malkangiri district.

According to sources, a police team led by Malkangiri SP Vivekanand Sharma carried out search at Kantapali area under MV-79 police limits, Jinelguda and Tokalguda under Motu police limits in Malkangiri district, bordering Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, on Saturday based on intelligence inputs.

The searches led them to a major Maoist dump at around 4.30 pm.

The seized items, which were found buried underground, included 1 SLR rifle with sling, 2 SLR Magazines, 4 ammunition charger clips, 50 rounds of 7.62 mm SLR Ball ammunition, 2 rounds of .303 Ball ammunition, 1 Magazine pouch, 1 tooth brush, 2 soaps, 1 shirt, 1/2 Mtr jungle patch cloth, 1 marker, 1 whistle cord, 1 torch, 1 handkerchief, 1 screwdriver, 1 syringe, 1 soap box, 1 mobile phone with SIM and some Maoist literature.

Police suspect that the rebels might have set up camps in the area and fled from the spot, leaving behind the items due to the combing operations. “These explosives along with other articles belong to Maoists cadres of AOBSZC and were intended to target civilians and security forces,,” the Malkangiri SP added.

In November last year, security forces had unearthed two Maoist dumps and seized several items from Bahabalakhol reserve forest near Kanpua and Kuakumuda in Boudh district, dealing a significant blow to the CPI (Maoist)’s KKBN Division, which has been active in the region for several years.