In a major breakthrough, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district have recovered a massive cache of arms, ammunition, and Maoist-related materials following intense encounters in the Abujhmad forests, police said on Friday.
For the first time in the Bastar region, a Trichy Assault Rifle, an Indian-made firearm primarily used by security personnel, was seized from Maoists. Police suspect it may have been looted from forces in the past and are verifying its source through databases.
The operation, launched on August 24, involved the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, and three ITBP battalions (38th, 41st, and 45th). Multiple gunfights broke out during the five-day-long offensive in Kasod, Kumuradi, Madoda, Khodpar, and Gattakal villages.
Over 300 items were recovered, including a light machine gun, self-loading rifles, INSAS rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, explosives, GPS devices, detonators, and country-made weapons. Blood trails and drag marks at the encounter sites suggested Maoist casualties.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said the recovery was a significant psychological and strategic setback for Maoists, proving that no part of Abujhmad is safe for them anymore. He added that sustained operations in 2025 have inflicted heavy losses on Maoist leadership, leaving the group with little choice but to surrender.