Malkangiri: Security forces achieved a breakthrough in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism Monday, recovering a large cache of arms, explosives and other incriminating materials from a Maoist hideout in a forest along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
The recovery was made during a search operation conducted by the District Voluntary Force (DVF) in the forests of Silakota, Perwai and Keskaguda under the Podia police station limits in Malkangiri district. The operation was launched based on intelligence gathered during the interrogation of surrendered Maoists.
The cache was unearthed at about 5:45 am in an area bordering the Dornapal police station limits in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. Items seized included three Sten carbines, a country-made pistol, an SBML gun, a damaged 12-bore gun, five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) of varying capacities, 20 under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) grenades, 53 rounds of 12-bore ammunition and a sniper telescope.
Security personnel also recovered electric wires, cordex wire, a battery, a solar panel, welding equipment, wire cutters and other materials suspected to have been used for the fabrication and maintenance of explosive devices. Police suspect the cache belonged to cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the banned CPI (Maoist).
Officials said the weapons and explosives were likely intended for use in attacks on security forces and civilians. The recovery comes amid intensified anti-Maoist operations in the region. Police said Malkangiri was declared Maoist-free on March 31, 2026, in line with a target set by the Union Home Ministry.
Between January 2025 and March 2026, two Maoists were arrested and 23 others surrendered before police in the district. Combating and search operations by the Special Operations Group (SOG), DVF and Border Security Force (BSF) are continuing to detect hidden Maoist dumps and prevent any resurgence of extremist activity in the border region.
