Maoist Camp Busted in Odisha, Huge Cache of Arms Seized

The joint operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Odisha Police was carried out in the Dayalatang and Elkanur forests under Kalimela block’s Bejangwada reserve forest.

During the search, forces uncovered a Maoist stockpile containing explosives and materials used to assemble improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The seizure included steel tiffin boxes for “tiffin bombs,” gelatin sticks, codex wires, 36 grenades, firearms, detonators, remote controls, motors, gas cylinders, and iron plates. Police said the cache was meant for fabricating landmines and IEDs to ambush patrolling teams. The explosives were defused with extreme caution.

“Timely detection and swift action by our personnel prevented a potential large-scale incident,” a senior police officer said, adding that the Maoists had concealed the cache to launch strikes on security forces.

Officials noted that intensified combing operations have disrupted Maoist attempts to regroup or expand their base in Malkangiri. Over the past year, stepped-up deployment has forced cadres to abandon camps, surrender, or retreat deeper into forests.

Meanwhile, on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, villagers continue to face Maoist intimidation. Reports from Topadhi village suggest extremists frequently enter the settlement, forcing youths into recruitment and compelling locals to supply food grains and medicines. Many families have fled, leaving behind farmland and homes.

CRPF units have now been deployed in Topadhi to monitor Maoist movement and restore confidence among villagers.