Bhubaneswar/Jagdalpur: Security forces have intensified anti-Maoist operations across the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border belt, recovering concealed Maoist dumps in Malkangiri district of Odisha and Kanker district of Chhattisgarh during separate intelligence-based search operations.
The recoveries included firearms, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Claymore mines, detonators, explosive materials, communication equipment and other items suspected to have been concealed by Maoist cadres. The operations highlight the continued focus of security agencies on locating hidden arms and explosive caches in forested and hilly areas and preventing any attempt to revive extremist activities.
Major Maoist dump recovered in Malkangiri
Security forces unearthed a major Maoist arms and ammunition dump in a forested area of Malkangiri district along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border on August 26. The operation was conducted by personnel of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) after security agencies received information from surrendered Maoists about the presence of a concealed dump in the area.
Acting on the intelligence input, DVF personnel launched an intensive search operation at around 5:30 am in the forests around Cherkotla, Kirmiti, Kotwapadar and Kadabhata under Mathili police station limits.
The area is located along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border and adjoins the Darbha police station area of Bastar district and Puspal police station area of Sukma district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. The strategic location has made the forest belt an important area for security forces conducting anti-Maoist operations.
According to police, the recovered weapons, explosives and other materials are suspected to have been concealed by cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC). Authorities suspect that the materials were intended for use in violent activities against civilians and security personnel.
Firearms, IEDs and claymore mines seized
The Malkangiri operation resulted in the recovery of three country-made firearms, along with several explosive devices. The seized cache included one 5-kg IED, two 3-kg IEDs, one 2-kg IED, two Claymore mines and two shop-case IEDs.
Security personnel also recovered materials that could be associated with the preparation or operation of explosive devices, including a bundle of Codex wire, around 10 metres of wire, three 9-volt batteries and a radio antenna.
The recovery of the explosive devices and related materials from the forest area has prompted further searches in the surrounding terrain to determine whether additional Maoist caches remain concealed.
Maoist literature and daily-use items found
Apart from arms and explosives, the dump also contained a range of Maoist-related and personal-use articles. Security forces recovered Maoist banners and literature, an olive-green Maoist uniform and around four metres of red cloth. Other items included a backpack, raincoat, jerkins, knife, torch, lighter and scissors.
Personal-use materials such as medicines, toothpaste, toothbrushes, oil bottles, sandals, a mirror, spoon, spectacles case and stationery were also found at the site. Police believe the recovery of these items indicates that the location had been used to store material required by Maoist cadres operating in the forested border region.
Intelligence from surrendered Maoists proves crucial
Information provided by surrendered Maoists played a key role in locating the concealed dump. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Binod Patil said information obtained during the interrogation of a surrendered Maoist helped security forces identify the location of the cache.
Acting on the information, security personnel launched the search operation and subsequently recovered the firearms, explosive devices and other Maoist-related materials. Patil said security agencies would continue to act on intelligence provided by surrendered Maoists and intensify operations in vulnerable forest areas.
Following the recovery, security personnel continued searches in the surrounding forests to check for additional concealed dumps, explosives or other materials. The latest recovery comes amid intensified efforts by security forces to consolidate gains made against Maoists in Malkangiri.
According to police, the district was declared completely Naxal-free on March 31, 2026, in line with the target set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Police said that between January 2025 and March 31, 2026, two Maoists were arrested and 23 others surrendered before the police in Malkangiri district.
Despite the decline in active Maoist presence, security agencies have continued combing and area-domination operations to locate arms, ammunition and explosive materials that may have been hidden before the reduction of Maoist activities.
Three major dumps recovered in June
The latest Malkangiri recovery is also part of a series of operations conducted in the district this year. Security forces recovered three major Maoist dumps in Malkangiri in June, further indicating that cadres had concealed arms, explosives and other materials at multiple locations across the forested terrain.
Regular operations by the Special Operations Group (SOG), DVF and other security teams are being carried out in vulnerable areas to identify such hidden caches and prevent their possible use in any attempt to revive Maoist activities.
Similar recovery in Sundargarh
The Malkangiri recovery comes days after security forces unearthed another concealed Maoist dump in Sundargarh district.
The recovery was made during a joint search and area-domination operation in Silkuta Reserve Forest under K. Balang police station limits. Personnel of the DVF and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducted the operation after receiving information during the interrogation of surrendered Naxals.
Maoist dump unearthed in Kanker
In a separate operation, security forces in neighbouring Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district also recovered a concealed Maoist dump containing explosives and other insurgent-related materials. The recovery was made during an intensive search operation in the forested and hilly area of Kanhargaon village under Bande police station limits.
A joint team comprising personnel of the district police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Bomb Detection and Search team conducted the operation. According to police, security personnel were carrying out an extensive search of the forest and hill areas when they detected a dump allegedly concealed by Maoist cadres.
40 detonators & explosive filled tiffins recovered
The Kanker operation resulted in the recovery of 40 detonators and two steel tiffins containing explosive material. One of the steel tiffins had an approximate capacity of 10 litres, while the other had a capacity of around 5 litres. Both were found to contain explosive material.
Other Maoist-related materials were also recovered during the search operation. Considering the potential danger posed by the explosives, the recovered material was destroyed at the spot by the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) in accordance with safety procedures.
The destruction of the explosive material was carried out to eliminate the immediate threat to security personnel and civilians in the area.
Senior officers oversaw the operation
The Kanker operation was conducted under the guidance of Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Badri Narayan Meena, BSF Bhanupratappur Deputy Inspector General Deepak Tiwari, Kanker Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha and Subhash Chandra, officer in charge of the 94th Battalion BSF stationed at Bande.
The operation involved BSF personnel, including inspectors Vipin Kumar and Avinash Kumar, along with BDS team-in-charge Sub-Inspector Roshan Lal Meena and other security personnel. The coordinated deployment of police, BSF and bomb disposal personnel reflects the focus on joint operations in sensitive forest areas along the border.
Continued search operations along border areas
The recovery of the two dumps comes as security agencies continue to maintain heightened vigilance across forested areas of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
The border belt has traditionally been considered sensitive because of its difficult terrain and its proximity to areas that have witnessed Maoist activity. Security forces are therefore continuing intelligence-based searches, combing operations and area domination exercises to locate concealed arms and explosive caches.
The latest recoveries in Malkangiri and Kanker also underline the importance of information obtained from surrendered Maoists in identifying previously hidden infrastructure and material. Security agencies have indicated that search operations will continue in vulnerable areas to detect additional caches and prevent Maoist cadres from using concealed weapons or explosives to carry out attacks.
With regular operations by police, DVF, SOG, BSF and specialised bomb disposal teams, authorities are seeking to maintain sustained pressure on Maoist networks and strengthen security across the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border region.
The successive recoveries are viewed as part of a broader campaign to eliminate the remaining logistical infrastructure of Maoists and ensure that forested areas previously used for concealing weapons and explosives do not become bases for a resurgence of Maoist activities.
