Malkangiri, Sept 3: In a major success for security forces, 16 hardcore Maoists were arrested during a high-intensity search operation carried out across dense forest regions near the Malkangiri–Chhattisgarh border, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation, launched in the Gangalur, Basaguda, and Jangla forest areas of Bijapur district, was a coordinated effort involving personnel from the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

According to Bijapur Superintendent of Police, the arrested individuals were active members of various Maoist factions and are suspected to have been involved in several violent incidents across the region.

Security forces also recovered a large cache of explosive materials from the arrested Maoists. The seized items include: improvised explosive devices (IEDs), pressure cooker bombs, tiffin bombs, codex wires, gelatin sticks.

The SP confirmed that all 16 individuals are being interrogated, and will be produced before the court following preliminary questioning.

The operation is being hailed as a significant achievement in the ongoing crackdown on Maoist activities along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.