Chhattisgarh: Arms and explosives recovered in Kanker district

Security forces have recovered a cache of arms, explosives, and Naxal-related materials in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, contradicting the government's earlier claim of eradicating the Naxal insurgency.

Security forces have recovered a cache of arms, explosives, and other Naxal-related materials during two separate operations along the Kanker-Narayanpur border in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, police officials said on Sunday.

The government had earlier announced the successful eradication of decades-old Naxal insurgency in Chhattisgarh.

The operations were jointly carried out by personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), district police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) in sensitive forested and hilly areas, they said.

Police said the operations were conducted under the supervision of Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P., BSF and district police officials of Kanker and Narayanpur districts.

On May 22, security personnel launched a search operation in the forest area between Pallahur and Japmarka villages, under the Koilibeda police station limits, along the Kanker-Narayanpur border.

During the search, the forces recovered a concealed Naxal dump containing a country-made BGL launcher, 25 BGL shells, four improvised fire cartridges, empty cartridges of AK-47 and SLR rifles, around five kilograms of gunpowder, 10 jute-string bombs, three Naxalite uniforms, a solar charger, wire, medical kits and other daily-use materials, police said, adding that personnel of the 40th Battalion BSF and DRG participated in the operation.

In another operation conducted on May 23 in the Chhotebethiya police station area, security forces carried out searches in the forest terrain between the villages of Markabeda, Adnar, and Elur, situated along the Kanker-Narayanpur border.

The teams recovered three 12-bore rifles, one BGL launcher, six BGL shells, 100 grams of gunpowder, 800 electric detonators, and 200 non-electric detonators, police said.

All recovered materials have been seized, and legal proceedings are being initiated, officials said.

Police said joint anti-Naxal operations are continuing in the border regions of Kanker and Narayanpur districts as part of sustained efforts to curb Maoist activities and strengthen security in the area.