Kandhamal Police Unearth Hidden Maoist Dump, Recover Weapons and Detonators

Bhubaneswar: Security forces recovered a cache of concealed arms, ammunition and explosive materials believed to belong to Maoist cadres during a coordinated search operation in Kandhamal district, police said on Tuesday.

The operation was launched on June 16 based on specific intelligence inputs regarding hidden Maoist materials in forested areas spanning Sitagurha, Ganjugurha, Kutibarhi, Gudrikya and Lanjam under the jurisdiction of Kotagarh, Baliguda and Tumudibandha police stations.

Two teams of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and one District Voluntary Force (DVF) team participated in the operation and conducted intensive combing across the identified locations. During the search, personnel located concealed Maoist dump sites in the Kotagarh police station area.

Following the detection, the Bomb Disposal Squad carried out a detailed inspection of the site after taking all necessary precautions to eliminate any risk from possible Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The operation resulted in the recovery of multiple firearms, ammunition and explosive-related materials. Seized items included one .303 rifle, two 12-bore guns, two single-shot guns and one 8 mm firearm with a wooden butt. Police also recovered one .303 magazine, 18 rounds of .303 ammunition, 10 rounds of 12-bore cartridges, 35 rounds of 8 mm ammunition, 10 metres of codex wire and five electric detonators, along with various field-use articles and logistical supplies.

Police said the recovered materials were linked to Maoist activity and represented remnants of earlier extremist presence in the district.

Although Kandhamal was declared Naxal-free by March 31, 2026 under the national anti-Naxal strategy, security agencies continue search and area domination exercises to detect old hidden dumps in remote locations and prevent any possibility of regrouping.

Joint operations involving SOG, DVF, CRPF and BSF personnel are continuing across vulnerable areas to strengthen security presence and maintain long-term peace in the district.

Officials said the latest recovery demonstrates continued operational vigilance and reflects ongoing efforts to eliminate residual extremist infrastructure from the region.