Security forces recover Maoist arms, ammunition and explosives in Chhattisgarh

Security forces recovered arms, ammunition and explosives from a dump concealed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Tuesday, police said.

The recovery was made early in the morning during a joint search operation in the wooded, hilly areas between Kohkabeda and Burdum villages under Barsoor police station limits, district Superintendent of Police Chandramohan Singh said.

The operation, involving personnel from the local District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), was launched on Monday after receiving information about Maoist dumps in areas around Manganar, Burdum, Tordma and Kohkabeda villages, he said.

The recovered material included one AK-47 rifle, one INSAS rifle, six locally made muzzle-loading guns, one BGL (Barrel Grenade Launcher), nine BGL shells, 23 rounds with an AK-47 magazine, five BGL rounds, two tiffin bombs, eight cooker bombs, 24 piston rod springs, around 20 metres of codex wire, two pairs of Maoist uniforms, 138 rounds of .315-bore rifle ammunition and a walkie-talkie, he said.

Maoists had looted around 100 firearms from security forces during separate attacks in Dantewada district in the past, SP Singh said.

Of these, 72 weapons have so far been recovered, including some from surrendered Maoists, he added.

Chhattisgarh was declared free from armed Maoist presence on March 31 this year. Since then, security forces have intensified search and area-domination operations across Bastar, comprising seven districts including Dantewada, to trace arms, ammunition, explosives and other materials concealed by Maoists.