Ahead of the voting for the last phase of the three-tier Panchayat elections in Odisha on February 24, security forces have recovered a huge cache of explosives and country-made weapons from a Maoist dump at Swabhiman Anchal (cut-off region) in Malkangiri district.
The Maoist dump was busted during an extensive area domination and combing operation carried out by the joint team comprising SOG, DVF and BSF jawans on Sunday evening. The arms dump was found near a jungle in the vicinity of Nadmenjeri village under under Jodambo police limits, close to the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border.
Malkangiri SP, Nitiesh Wadhwani, said that a large quantity of arms, IEDs, explosives, Maoist literature and other incriminating articles have been recovered from the dump. The articles include- country made guns, a Tiffin-box IED (weighing 05 Kg), 4 broken country-made pistols and revolers, walky-talky set and detonators.
“It is suspected that these articles were intended to make IEDs and target villagers as well as police teams during Panchayal elections. This is a major jolt to the subversive and anti-national design of Maoists in this area. We suspect these explosives and other articles belonging to the Maoists cadres of AOBSZC were meant to carry out their subversive and anti-national activities,” said Wadhwani.
The Malkangiri SP further said that combing and search operations have been intensified and the forces are confident to ensure free, fair and safe Panchayat elections in Swabhiman Anchal.