Security forces unearth Naxal dump in Chhattisgarh forest, seize huge cache of arms and ammunition

Hand grenades, gelatin sticks, AK-47 and INSAS rounds alongside a huge cache of arms and explosives were recovered from a Naxal dump in a forested area in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said.

The recovery was made during an anti-Naxal operation conducted by a joint team of the District Force, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters in the Bhandarpadar-Munurkonda area under Bhejji police station limits.

Acting on intelligence inputs provided by surrendered Naxals, the joint team launched an area-domination and search operation in the forest and hill areas of Bhandarpadar and Munurkonda villages on Monday, police said.

The team found a dump concealed in the Bhandarpadar forest and recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition, explosives and other materials allegedly used by the ultras.

The seized weapons included an SLR rifle, a .315-bore rifle, a .410 musket rifle, six BGL launchers, a single-shot rifle, a country-made .315-bore pistol, five 12-bore rifles, and seven muzzle-loading guns, police said.

The recovery also included 45 AK-47 rounds, 196 SLR rounds, 89 INSAS rounds, 97 .303 rounds, 20 .315 rounds, 45 12-bore rounds and 66 BGL cartridges. Eight large, 23 medium and 58 small BGL shells, eight BGL warheads, five country-made hand grenades and 240 gelatin sticks were also recovered.

Security forces also seized 18 kg of gunpowder, stored in two steel containers, 31 empty AK-47 cartridges, other empty casings, magazines, pouches, belts and other equipment.

The dump also contained black uniforms, rucksacks, balaclavas, solar panels, medicines and other articles of daily use, police said.

The recovery is part of a continuing campaign by Sukma Police to locate and destroy arms and material dumps allegedly concealed by Naxals in forests and remote areas, officials said.

Security forces will continue area-domination and search operations to recover such hidden caches and strengthen security in the region, police said.