Gadchiroli Police, CRPF destroy massive maoist weapons manufacturing facility and buried arms cache in Maharashtra
Gadchiroli: In a major success against Maoism, the Gadchiroli Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have dismantled a Maoist weapons manufacturing facility and destroyed a massive cache of buried arms and explosives in the forests along the Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh border, dealing another significant blow to the insurgent network.
In one of the most significant anti-Naxal operations in recent months, the Gadchiroli Police, in coordination with the CRPF, successfully uncovered and destroyed a concealed Maoist weapons manufacturing facility and a large cache of buried arms in the Balbeda forest area near the Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh border.
The operation, carried out on June 27, 2026, was launched based on confidential intelligence indicating that Maoists had established an underground facility to manufacture and store weapons, explosives, and other materials used for attacks on security forces. Officials described the operation as another decisive step towards completely eliminating Maoist activities from Gadchiroli district.
According to police officials, the Maoist insurgency in Gadchiroli has now been effectively neutralised, with the extremist movement in the district nearing its end. For decades, Maoist cadres exploited the dense forests along the interstate border between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh to manufacture weapons, fabricate explosive devices, and hide arms deep underground. These concealed stockpiles were later retrieved during Maoist observance weeks, elections, and other occasions to launch attacks on security personnel or carry out acts of sabotage. Security agencies believe that systematically locating and destroying these hidden caches is critical to preventing any future revival of Maoist violence in the region.
The latest operation followed earlier successful anti-Maoist missions conducted on May 23 and May 27, 2026, during which security forces had recovered additional Maoist materials. Acting on fresh intelligence, Gadchiroli Police initiated another coordinated search operation on June 26, 2026, under the guidance of Superintendent of Police M. Ramesh.
A joint force comprising six teams from the Gadchiroli and Pranhita Special Operations Units, one Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), and a CRPF team was deployed to the Balbeda forest on 26 June 2026. The teams launched an extensive search operation to locate the suspected underground Maoist weapons manufacturing facility and recover any concealed arms, explosives, or related materials hidden in the dense forest area.
On June 27, after surrounding the forested area, BDDS personnel conducted an extensive search operation. The teams recovered a large quantity of equipment and weapon-making materials that had allegedly been concealed by Maoists beneath the forest floor.
Among the items recovered were:
-One heavy-duty lathe machine weighing approximately 5–6 tonnes
-150 Claymore mine and Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) pipes
-220 12-bore gun barrels/pipes
-20 rifle rods and metal strips
-Various other Maoist-related manufacturing materials
Officials believe these materials were intended for manufacturing and repairing firearms, explosive devices, and other weapons used by Maoist cadres.
Following the recovery, senior officers directed that all seized materials be destroyed immediately at the site to ensure they could not be reused. With the assistance of BDDS personnel and other security teams, the entire cache, including the heavy machinery and weapon components, was destroyed during the operation. Authorities stated that destroying the manufacturing infrastructure itself is a significant achievement, as it prevents Maoists from rebuilding their logistical capabilities in the region.
The latest operation adds to a series of successful anti-Maoist offensives undertaken by security forces in Gadchiroli over the past several months. By dismantling underground manufacturing facilities, destroying hidden arms caches, and eliminating logistical support networks, security agencies have significantly weakened Maoist operational capabilities in the region.
Officials believe that sustained intelligence-led operations, combined with coordinated efforts between the state police and central forces, have played a crucial role in restoring security across Gadchiroli, once considered one of the country’s most Maoist-affected districts. The recovery and destruction of this concealed weapons manufacturing site is being viewed as another major milestone in the ongoing campaign to eradicate Maoism from Maharashtra and secure the sensitive interstate border region.
