Rayagada Police achieved a major breakthrough in anti-Maoist operations by uncovering a massive Maoist dump in Raghuvari reserved forest under Ambadala police limits.Acting on intelligence from surrendered Maoists, District Voluntary Force (DVF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) launched a combing operation on July 2 and seized a large cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, and daily-use materials.
Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad confirmed the recovery during a press briefing. The seized items included parts of a sten gun, a .303 rifle with 37 rounds, a country-made firearm, 25 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 10 RPGLs, and three sten magazines. Explosives such as cordex wires, cordex nuts, gunpowder, and empty cartridges were also recovere.Police teams also seized Maoist literature, camping materials, food supplies, and daily-use items like blankets, umbrellas, knives, and footwear. Bomb disposal squads were deployed to neutralise possible IED threats before the recovery.Investigators believe the cache belonged to the CPI (Maoist) Bansadhara-Ghumusara-Nagavali division, which had hidden the materials to prepare for future violent activities. Authorities said the seizure marks a significant step toward making Rayagada district Maoist-free, a target set for March 2026.Between January 2025 and March 2026, several hardcore Maoists surrendered to police, weakening the group’s presence. Earlier, on June 13, another Maoist dump was seized in Depaguda forest under Ambadala police limits.SP Raj Prasad assured that joint combing operations by SOG, DVF, and CRPF will continue to maintain peace and security in the region.
