Security Forces Recover Explosives, Weapons in Narayanpur district, Maoist Plot Foiled

Raipur — Security forces have recovered a cache of explosives and weapons from a forested and mountainous area in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh, police officials said on Friday.

The operation, conducted in the Ongar region on Thursday, was a joint effort by the 29th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Narayanpur Police, officials added.

The search was led by Deputy Commandant Vikas Pachar, who acted on credible intelligence inputs regarding hidden Maoist materials. Despite difficult terrain marked by dense forests and rugged hills, the joint team carried out an intensive area domination and combing exercise.

During the operation, the forces uncovered materials concealed by Maoist cadres that were allegedly intended for assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to target security personnel and disrupt operations.

The recovered items included 175 metres of industrial Prima cord, approximately equivalent to 3.5 rolls, 10 metres of safety fuse, 10 rolls of electric wire, one IED mechanism, one country-made pistol, two steel containers, and a five-foot-long heavy boring pipe.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the materials were stockpiled to manufacture IEDs and execute ambushes against personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations.

Officials said the timely intervention of security forces appears to have foiled a planned Maoist attack aimed at endangering lives and disrupting development activities in the region. All seized items have been secured for deactivation and forensic examination, while legal procedures have been initiated to trace their source and operational network.

Authorities noted that such recoveries highlight the continued threat posed by Maoist groups in the Bastar division, including areas like Narayanpur, even as security operations against Naxalism continue to intensify across Chhattisgarh.

The ITBP and Narayanpur Police reiterated their commitment to restoring peace, strengthening security, and promoting development in affected villages. Officials have also urged local residents to report any suspicious activities, emphasising the importance of community cooperation.

Security agencies confirmed that similar search and combing operations will continue to dismantle remaining Maoist hideouts and supply networks, aiming to achieve a Naxal-free Chhattisgarh.

With inputs from IANS