BARGARH: A Maoist camp in Gandhamardan hill range near Maryadapali under Paikmal police limits in the district was busted by District Voluntary Force and CRPF jawans on Friday. Apparently, it was believed that the Maoists had a strong presence in the hill range earlier but they had left the place now due to frequent combing operation by the security forces.
Informing this to mediapersons, Padampur SDPO Laxminarayan Panda said no one was present in the camp and there was no exchange of fire. He said the security forces have seized one tiffin bomb, one hand grenade, 8 kg of gun powder, 10 metres of safety fuse, 200 metres of electric wire besides other materials. Security forces have also recovered one inverter, a bow and 12 arrow heads indicating the change of strategy of the Maoists and their shifting to traditional weapons.
Although the security forces have been combing the hill range regularly forcing the Maoists to be on the run, the seizure has exposed the fact that the Maoists are trying to reestablish their base in the hill range, which is close to Chhattisgarh and also provides passage to Kalahandi, Balangir and Nuapada which were considered Maoists hot-bed. The recovery has put the security forces on high alert.