Maharashtra: Maoists' Arms Manufacturing Unit busted in Gadchiroli; buried explosive material destroyed by police
Gadchiroli, May 24
In a major anti-Naxal operation, the Gadchiroli Police busted a Maoist arms manufacturing and storage unit hidden inside the forest area of Pomke Binagunda and destroyed the recovered material on the spot.
According to the release, the operation was carried out based on confidential information provided by surrendered Maoists under "Operation Antim Prahar".
According to police, Maoists had secretly buried weapons-making equipment and explosive-related material in the forest to target security forces during Naxal activities, election periods, and other operations.
Acting on the inputs, joint teams of the Special Operation Squad, Pranhita unit, and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) launched a search operation on May 21 under the guidance of Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police M. Ramesh.
During the search on May 22, police recovered a lathe machine, BGL pipes, 12-bore pipes, inverter, generator, batteries, grinding and drilling machines, jig saw machine, pressure pump, solar panels, and other Maoist-related equipment from the forest area. All seized material was later destroyed at the site under senior officers' supervision.
The operation was conducted under the leadership of Additional SPs Karthik Madhira and Gokul Raj G, along with DySP Vishal Nagargoje. The SP praised the efforts of the police and BDDS personnel involved in the mission.
Earlier, Gadchiroli Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) arrested eight Maoists and secured the surrender of five senior cadres during the anti-Naxal drive 'Operation Antim Prahar', marking a major breakthrough in the fight against Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the district.
Superintendent of Police (SP) M Ramesh said the operation had led to the complete removal of Maoists from the district police's official wanted records. "CRPF and Gadchiroli police had launched 'Operation Antim Prahar', under which eight Maoists were arrested... No Maoist then remained on its official 'wanted' records after the launch of 'Operation Antim Prahar'," he said.
According to police, the arrested Maoists included two Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs) and two Platoon Party Committee Members (PPCMs). Several of them were allegedly involved in the February 7 Phodewada encounter in which a C-60 commando was killed. The Maharashtra government had announced a combined reward of Rs 64 lakh for the arrested cadres.
Security forces had recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition during the operation, including 51 firearms such as LMGs, AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, SLRs, .303 rifles, 12-bore guns and BGL launchers. Police also seized detonators, live cartridges, Maoist literature and Rs 65.34 lakh in cash, allegedly meant for future attacks.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a huge achievement no doubt, but we need to look at the root causes too. Naxalism flourishes in areas with poor development and lack of basic amenities. Unless we address the issues of land rights, education, and employment in these tribal regions, new recruits will keep joining such movements. The police action is necessary but development is equally important.
What a well-coordinated operation! The recovery of a lathe machine, generator, and all those arms-making tools shows how sophisticated these Maoist networks have become. Thank God our police intelligence is working well with surrendered cadres. Rs 65 lakh in cash seized is a big blow to their funding. Salute to the C-60 commando who was martyred earlier! 🔥
It's satisfying to see such coordinated efforts between Gadchiroli Police and CRPF. The fact that they recovered 51 firearms including LMGs and AK-47s is alarming but also shows the scale of this menace. However, I hope the surrendered Maoists are given genuine rehabilitation opportunities, not just used for intelligence. Their integration into mainstream society is crucial for lasting peace.
Wah! Kya baat hai! The police has completely cleaned the area of Maoists. But I'm worried about these weapons being buried in forests - what if some other group finds them? The destruction on the spot was the right decision. Our jawans in Gadchiroli are doing a thankless job in extremely challenging terrain. Salute to their courage! 🇮🇳
I appreciate the police action but let
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.