Chhattisgarh: Major blow to Maoists as police seize huge cache of arms, explosives
Raipur, Jul 12
In an ongoing anti-Maoist operations in South Bastar's Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, security forces have recovered a large cache of weapons, explosives, cash, and gold from the dense forests and hilly terrain of Todma village under Barsur Police Station limits.
Acting on precise intelligence provided by recently surrendered Maoists, the operation led to the seizure of items valued at around Rs 18 lakh, including a 116-gram gold biscuit worth Rs 16 lakh and Rs 2 lakh in cash.
The recovery has been hailed as a major success for the Dantewada Police and joint security forces.
The coordinated search was conducted under the guidance of Badri Narayan Meena, Inspector General of Bastar range, led the search with senior officials, including Rakesh Chaudhary and Superintendent of Police of Dantewada Gaurav Rai.
The team recovered arsenal which included one INSAS rifle with 16 magazines, four AK-47 magazines with 68 rounds, 23 SLR magazines with 34 rounds, five 12-bore guns with seven rounds, three BGL launchers with one shell, along with two carbine magazines and various other ammunition such as .303 rounds, chargers, and 8mm cartridges.
Security forces also seized a revolver, an air gun, ten damaged muzzle-loading guns, multiple bombs including 122 arrow bombs, six tiffin bombs, four pipe bombs, country-made grenades and mortars, 20 detonators, a bundle of cordex wire, 14 pressure cookers, and a steel container of gelatin.
Other items recovered included uniform fabric, medicines, leaflets, and daily-use materials believed to be used by Maoist operatives.
The hidden caches, buried at multiple locations in the forest, were intended to support violent activities and target security personnel.
Officials described the operation as a clear demonstration of the success of the surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The actionable intelligence came from Maoists who have renounced violence and joined the mainstream, underscoring a growing shift away from Maoist ideology toward peace and development in the region.
The timely recovery has also thwarted potential major attacks on security forces.
The Dantewada Police have appealed to remaining Maoists to shun the path of violence, surrender, and reintegrate with their families into mainstream society. They have also urged local citizens and villagers to support efforts in restoring peace and fostering development in the area.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The recovery of gold biscuit worth Rs 16 lakh is shocking! Maoists are clearly funded by illegal activities. We need to cut their financial networks too. But hats off to the informants who surrendered - they've given crucial intelligence.
Good operation but we must address root causes too. Poverty and lack of development in Bastar drive youth to Maoism. Arrests and seizures alone won't solve this - we need schools, hospitals and jobs in these areas. Development + security is the way forward.
INSAS rifle with 16 magazines? That's serious firepower! These weapons could have caused major casualties. The security forces deserve full credit for this preemptive strike. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Interesting how the surrendered Maoists gave the leads. Shows the govt's rehabilitation policy is working. But I'm concerned about their safety post-surrender - hope they're being protected from retaliation. Also, 122 arrow bombs is alarming - these are brutal weapons.
Every time I read such news, I think about the common people in these areas who live in fear. This is a good step but we need sustained peace. The recovery of medicines and daily-use items shows how deeply entrenched they are in local communities. Sad reality.
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