Maoist Arms Dump Unearthed in Kandhamal, Odisha
Bhubaneswar: Security forces have recovered a concealed Maoist arms and explosives dump from a forested area near Matrabadi village under Daringbadi police station limits in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, police said. It is the third Maoist dump recovered in the past five days from forested areas of Odisha.
The recovery was made on August 28 during an intelligence-based joint search operation conducted across several forest pockets in the district. The operation was launched following credible inputs about the presence of Maoist-related arms, ammunition and other materials concealed in the area.
The multi-agency operation involved personnel of the Special Operations Group (SOG), Border Security Force (BSF) and District Voluntary Force (DVF).
Security personnel conducted searches across forest areas falling under the jurisdictions of Raikia, Baliguda, Daringbadi and Kotgarh police stations. Several locations, including Babuti, Jimabari, Karahapanga, Gararmaha, Jimaraha, Telsi, Sidupadar, Padalamala, Matabari, Teranipanga, Jhajhibari, Tukubari, Satari, Salakingia, Parigada and Penamal, were covered during the operation.
During the search, DVF personnel located the concealed dump near Matrabadi village.
According to police, the recovered cache included one 12-bore rifle, one single-shot rifle and an SBL grenade.
The security forces also seized 19 electric detonators, two tiffin-box IEDs, a bundle of Cordex and two gelatin sticks. The ammunition recovered from the dump included 13 rounds of .303 ammunition and 10 rounds of single-shot ammunition.
Several other Maoist camp-use articles were also recovered from the site, including electric wires and other materials believed to be associated with Maoist activities.
A Bomb Disposal Squad was deployed as part of the operation to ensure the safe handling of suspected explosive materials.
Kandhamal SP Ramendra Prasad said the operation involved multiple security teams. According to police, five SOG teams, three units of the 108 Battalion of the BSF and a DVF team participated in the search operation.
The coordinated operation was carried out after security agencies received intelligence regarding the suspected presence of a concealed Maoist dump in the forest.
The recovery comes months after Kandhamal was officially declared Maoist-free on March 31, 2026. Despite the declaration, security agencies have continued combing and area-domination operations in vulnerable forested regions to locate legacy Maoist caches and prevent any possible resurgence of extremist activity.
The latest seizure highlights the continued efforts by security forces to identify and neutralise residual Maoist infrastructure left behind in former insurgency-affected areas.
Security agencies have been maintaining surveillance and conducting regular search operations in sensitive areas of the district. Such operations are aimed at recovering concealed weapons and explosive materials and ensuring that former Maoist strongholds do not become bases for renewed extremist activity.
SP Ramendra Prasad said security operations would continue in vulnerable and Maoist-affected areas in the district. The latest recovery is expected to further strengthen the ongoing efforts to dismantle residual Maoist infrastructure and consolidate security gains in Kandhamal.
The latest recovery in Kandhamal is part of a series of seizures reported from the district this year. On June 16, security forces recovered another concealed Maoist dump following specific intelligence inputs about hidden materials in forest areas covering Sitagurha, Ganjugurha, Kutibarhi, Gudrikya and Lanjam villages under the jurisdictions of Kotgarh, Baliguda and Tumudibandha police stations.
Earlier, on June 11, security personnel had unearthed another Maoist dump in the Baliguda area of Kandhamal, recovering firearms, ammunition and other operational materials.
The repeated recoveries indicate that security agencies continue to search forested areas for remnants of Maoist infrastructure, despite Kandhamal being declared Naxal-free on March 31, 2026.
On August 26, security forces recovered a concealed Maoist arms and ammunition dump from a forested area of Malkangiri district along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
The operation was launched after security agencies received information from surrendered Maoists regarding the location of the hidden cache. Personnel of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) conducted an intensive search around Cherkotla, Kirmiti, Kotwapadar and Kadabhata under Mathili police station limits.
The area is strategically significant as it adjoins the Darbha police station area of Bastar district and Puspal police station area of Sukma district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
Earlier, on August 24, security forces recovered another concealed Maoist dump from Silkuta Reserve Forest under K. Balang police station limits in Sundargarh district.
The joint operation involved the DVF and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and followed intelligence gathered during the interrogation of surrendered Naxals.
Police said the cache appeared to be around four years old and contained arms, ammunition, explosive materials, communication equipment and other Maoist-related articles.
The recovery of three dumps within five days underscores the continued focus of security agencies on dismantling residual Maoist infrastructure across Odisha.
Officials have continued intelligence gathering, combing and area-domination operations in vulnerable forest areas to locate concealed caches and prevent any possible resurgence of extremist activity.
The role of surrendered Maoists in providing actionable intelligence has also emerged as an important component of these operations. Security forces are expected to maintain surveillance and conduct further searches in sensitive areas to consolidate security gains and prevent the revival of Maoist networks.
