Malkangiri, June 9: In a significant success against Left Wing Extremism, joint teams of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) and Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a massive cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, and IED-making materials from a Maoist hideout deep inside the forests of Malkangiri district on Tuesday.Nearly 32 categories of Maoist-related materials were seized, including arms, explosive devices, IED components, daily-use articles, and propaganda literature.The operation was launched based on specific intelligence gathered during the interrogation of surrendered Maoist cadres. Acting on the inputs, security personnel conducted an intensive search operation in the forested areas of Kirmitti and Katuapadar under the jurisdiction of Mathili Police Station, near the border with Durva Police Station in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district.During the operation, security forces discovered a concealed Maoist dump at around 5:30 a.m. on June 9. The recovered materials are believed to belong to cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), a Maoist outfit active in the region.Authorities suspect the seized materials were intended for use in attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel, as part of Maoist efforts to carry out disruptive activities in the area.Among the explosives and ammunition-related items recovered were 50 empty detonator caps, six crackers, 3.5 kilograms of gunpowder, and 20 kilograms of splinters. Security personnel also seized several components used in the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including wire bundles, roots auto devices, roots devices with wiring, codex wire, and a rechargeable battery.In addition to explosive materials, the forces recovered various logistical and medical supplies, including 15 HP printer cartridges, 19 disposable syringes, 15 bundles of absorbent gauze cotton, 10 saline bottles with accompanying saline pipes, a polythene tent with rope, a waist belt, three haversacks, a knife, two pairs of scissors, a jack, two small screwdrivers, and Maoist literature.Following the successful operation, security forces have intensified combing and search operations in the adjoining forest areas to locate Maoist cadres and identify any additional arms or explosives dumps.
Major Maoist arms and explosives cache unearthed in Malkangiri forests
