Raipur/Bijapur, Nov 5 (IANS) In a significant anti-Maoist operation, security forces recovered 711 Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) shells from a forested area near KG Hills in Bijapur district on Thursday.
The arms cache, believed to have been hidden by Maoist cadres, was found approximately 1.5 kilometres northwest of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Tadapala.
Acting on specific and credible intelligence received from reliable sources, a joint team comprising personnel from the Bijapur District Police, a battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and a CoBRA unit launched a targeted search operation.
The operation was conducted in the dense forest stretches surrounding FOB Tadapala, which falls under the jurisdiction of Usur Police Station.
During the thorough combing of the area, the security personnel located the large stockpile of BGL shells carefully concealed in the forest near KG Hills. All 711 shells were carefully recovered, secured, and taken into official custody in strict compliance with established safety and explosive-handling protocols to eliminate any risk of accidental detonation.
Officials described the recovery as a major setback to Maoist logistics in the region, as BGL shells are used to launch grenades and can inflict significant damage in ambushes or attacks on security camps.
The successful operation underscores the growing effectiveness of coordinated intelligence-based actions by state police and central forces in the Bastar region.
Authorities have issued a strong advisory to the public, urging residents and visitors to strictly avoid Karregutta and the surrounding hill areas for the time being.
The region continues to pose serious risks due to the possible presence of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) or other unexploded ordnance left behind by insurgents. Citizens have been asked to stay away from the forested zones in the interest of their own safety.
Security agencies have indicated that a systematic de-mining and explosive clearance operation will be undertaken in the area in the coming period as part of a pre-planned action strategy.
Until the area is fully sanitised, the restriction on public movement will remain in force. The joint forces continue to dominate the area and maintain heightened vigilance to prevent any retaliatory activity by Maoist groups.
Further details regarding the origin of the cache and any additional recoveries are expected to be shared after thorough investigation.
–IANS
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