Cache of explosives recovered from Maoist hideouts in C'garh

A huge cache of explosives, including detonators and gelatin sticks, has been recovered from separate Maoist hideouts in the forests ofChhattisgarh's Sukma district during 'Operation Prahaar-2', the police said today.
The seizure included a tiffin bomb, 60 detonators, 50 gelatin rods, one grenade headed arrow, 500 gm of explosive powder, 3 kg gun powder, a couple of batteries and switches, one bundle cordex wire, splinters, three cameras flash, few live cartridges ofSLR rifle and a 12 bore gun, besides Maoist material, medicines and commodities of daily use.
"Separate teams of security personnel were engaged in gun battles with naxals at three places on November 7 during the operation. No harm was reported to forces in the exchange-of-fire," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

He said the explosives and naxal-related material were recovered during a search after the firing stopped in all the three places from different camps of Maoists.
The DIG said several teams of security forces had carried a combined offensive against Naxalites in the forests spanning two Maoist-infested districts--Sukma and Bijapur--for the last three days.
The operation was launched on November 6 on inputs about the presence of senior naxal cadres in the inhospitable jungles of Jabbagatta, Chinnabodkel, Peddabodkel, Gomguda and other villages in Sukma bordering with Bijapur, around 500 kms away from here, he said.

"Around 1200 troopscomprising personnel from the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) and district forcewere involved in the 'Operation Prahaar-2'", he said.

The operation was significant because for the first time security forces entered this area between Talperu and Chintabagu rivers, which is considered as the base of Maoists' dreaded military battalion no. 1 led by its commander Hidma, the DIG said.
He said the troopers, who covered a distance of at least 64 kms inside forest, returned today after ending the operation last night.
Notably, six naxals, including five women, were gunned down in two encounters with security forces during an anti-Maoist operation as a part of "Operation Prahaar 2" in Narayanpur district on November 7.