Malkangiri, June 28: In a major success against Left Wing Extremism, the District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Malkangiri Police on Sunday recovered a large cache of Maoist arms, ammunition and explosives from the dense forests of Gunthabada and Kadamguda under the Kalimela Police Station limits.
The recovery was made during a special search operation launched on the basis of specific intelligence obtained from the interrogation of surrendered Maoists. Acting on the inputs, the DVF team conducted intensive combing operations in the forest area bordering Motugudem and Donkarai Police Station limits in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district.
The hidden Maoist dump was unearthed at around 6.30 am.
Security personnel seized two SLR rifles, two pistols, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), live cartridges, walkie-talkie sets with batteries, antennas and wires, metal pipes, a hard disk, pen drive, keyboard, medicine kit and several other incriminating materials from the site.
According to police, the recovered cache is believed to belong to cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the CPI (Maoist). Officials suspect the weapons and explosives were intended to be used in attacks targeting civilians and security forces.
The latest recovery comes after Malkangiri achieved its target of becoming Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, in line with the deadline set by the Union Home Minister.
Police records show that between January 2025 and March 31, 2026, two Maoists were arrested while 23 others surrendered before security forces.
This is the third major Maoist arms haul reported in the district this month. On June 9, security forces recovered an INSAS light machine gun (LMG), two INSAS rifles, IEDs, grenades, detonators and other explosives from the forests of Kirmitti and Katuapadar under Mathili Police Station limits. Subsequently, on June 15, another operation in the forests of Silakota, Perwai and Keskaguda under Podia Police Station limits led to the seizure of three Sten carbines, an SBML gun, a pistol, IEDs, UBGL grenades, a welding machine and other Maoist-related materials.
