Koraput: Acting on a tip-off from surrendered Maoists, security forces unearthed a major arms and explosives dump, suspected to belong to the cadres of Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee, from a remote forest area under Boipariguda police station limits in Koraput district early on Monday morning.According to superintendent of police (SP) Rohit Verma, the District Voluntary Force (DVF) discovered the hidden dump during an intensive search operation at Badlipahad forest, close to the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, around 5.30 am, when it seized an INSAS rifle, six country-made guns, a claymore mine weighing approximately 18kg, a 10kg tiffin bomb IED, six tiffin bomb IEDs weighing around 4kg each, a Maoist kit bag and literature, besides medicines and food items.“The operation was launched based on information gathered during the interrogation of surrendered Maoists,” said Verma.Police suspect that the recovered arms and explosives were intended to be used by the Maoist cadres against security forces and civilians. “Continuous search and combing operations are being undertaken to detect and recover hidden Maoist dumps, and prevent any attempt to revive extremist activities in the region,” Verma said.The SP added that Koraput achieved the target of becoming naxal-free by March 31, in line with the timeline set by the Union home minister. “Security forces remain vigilant. and are continuing area domination, combing and intelligence-based operations to ensure that Maoist elements do not regain a foothold in the district. Regular operations are being carried out by Special Operations Group, DVF and Border Security Force in vulnerable and border areas to identify and destroy underground Maoist dumps,” the SP said.
