Eturnagaram police seize explosives dump in Dodla forest

MULUGU: Contingents of Eturnagaram police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), during their combing operations, have seized a huge dump of explosives hidden by Maoists in the Dodla forest region.

Providing details to media on Tuesday, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Shoban Kumar said on orders of Jayashankar-Mulugu-Mahbubabad-Warangal (JMMW) Maoist committee leader Badi Chokkarao Damodar, Eturnagaram-Mahadevpur committee commander Kovvasi Ganga alias Mahesh held a meeting with cadres Sodi Kosi alias Jhansi, Kankanala Raji Reddy alias Venkanna, Kursam Mangu alias Bhadru, Muchheki Ungal alias Raghu alias Sudhakar. They discussed plans to kill police personnel by placing booby-trapped explosives at various locations in the forests.

On receiving information about the meeting, a team of security forces led by 39 CRPF Battalion assistant commandant Amith Kumar, Eturnagaram circle inspector Kiran Kumar and sub-inspector Ramesh launched combing operations in the forest near Dodla village in Eturnagaram mandal.

During their search, the police found a bucket of explosives hidden in thick bushes near a nala, apart from 10 gelatin sticks, 10 detonators, three claymore mines, five couplings, 33 SLR live rounds, 1 fired round, 1 fired AK-47, one battery and a bundle of 100-metre wire hidden nearby. All these were seized and a case registered.

The OSD appealed to villagers to be wary when venturing into the forest, as they may lose their lives in case such explosives are triggered by Maoists. If they come across such material, they must inform police. The identity of informers will be kept secret, he stated.