Huge Maoist dump recovered in Gariyaband district

RAIPUR: Security forces have recovered a major Maoist dump containing cash, arms, ammunition and electronic devices from a forested hillock area in Gariyaband district, in what police described as a significant blow to the banned CPI (Maoist) network operating along the Chhattisgarh–Odisha border.The recovery was made on Friday during a joint operation by the E-30 unit of Gariyaband district police and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from neighbouring Dhamtari. Acting on intelligence obtained from surrendered Maoists under the state’s rehabilitation policy, the teams conducted a search in the Sapsati forested hill region in Mainpur near Badegobra village.During the combing operation, security forces unearthed multiple concealed caches allegedly dumped by the Dhamtari–Gariyaband–Nuapada division of CPI (Maoist).

The seized material included cash worth ₹46.31 lakh, a country-made muzzle-loading gun, a Surka rifle, and a large quantity of ammunition of various calibres, including AK-47, SLR, INSAS and .303 rounds.Police also recovered barrel grenade launcher shells, detonators (both electronic and non-electronic), a laptop, two mobile phones, and Maoist literature and operational material, officials said.Police said the recovery has potentially averted future Maoist incidents in the region by disrupting logistical and financial reserves of the outfit.