Malkangiri: Security forces have unearthed an arms dump of the Maoists in Odisha’s Malkangiri district bordering Chhattisgarh, police said Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Odisha Police conducted an operation July 24 in Jodambo police station area and found a Maoist arms dump in a forested and hilly area between Arapadar and Ghusumpadar villages, a police statement said.
A total of 32 gelatin sticks, 11 detonators, 500 gm of gunpowder, three meters of codex wire, a solar panel battery, a radio and electric wires were seized, it said.
The BSF continues to conduct sustained operations in the affected areas of Malkangiri district, which was once considered a Maoist stronghold, the statement said, adding that the region is increasingly witnessing operational dominance by security forces to ensure lasting peace in the region.
It is suspected that the explosives were concealed underground to evade detection and were likely intended for use in targeting security forces or carrying out disruptive activities in the region, the statement said, adding that more explosive materials were suspected to have been stocked by the Maoists for future attacks.