PHULBANI/BERHAMPUR : In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing anti-Naxal offensive, security forces dismantled a major Maoist operational base and seized a huge cache of weapons and logistics in the Gangel forest of Kandhamal district on Thursday.
The joint operation, conducted under Baliguda police limits, involved the Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Border Security Force (BSF).
Acting on specific intelligence regarding the presence of hardcore Maoists in the bordering forests of Kandhamal and Kalahandi, security forces launched an intensive combing exercise that led to the discovery of the hidden camp.
During search, security personnel seized 13 rifles, several walkie-talkie sets used for tactical coordination, solar panels and electric wires for powering the camp, and a substantial quantity of medical supplies and essential ration items.
The presence of solar panels and medical kits suggested that the base was equipped for long-term habitation and sustained operations in the dense forest canopy, said a senior police officer.
Police suspect that several hardcore Maoists may still be hiding in the surrounding forest areas. The combing operation is continuing to track down the remaining ultras, if any, and ensure that the area is fully sanitised.
The operation follows the high-profile neutralisation of senior Maoist leader Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December last year. The crackdown is part of the government’s plan to eliminate Maoist influence in Odisha by March 31, 2026.