GADCHIROLI, May 28: Arms and explosives as well as equipment used for their manufacture were recovered from a densely forested area along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in an operation carried out against Naxalites, a Gadchiroli police official said on Thursday.
The action, under the ongoing 'Operation Antim Prahar', was carried out on May 27 based on intelligence inputs obtained from surrendered Naxalites, the official added.
"Security personnel recovered one INSAS rifle, two single-shot rifles, two 12-bore rifles and 18 live cartridges. Equipment allegedly used for manufacturing weapons, including two lathe machines, two motors, a grinder machine, inverter units, batteries, iron rods and solar plates were also seized," a police release informed.
Explosive materials recovered from the site included 25 kg Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), two claymore mines, 110 detonators, cortex wire and more than 500 BGL cells as well as seven BGL launchers and three tube launchers, it added.
The action was jointly conducted by Gadchiroli police's C-60 commando unit, District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Narayanpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS).
The arms and the arm manufacturing equipment were hidden in a forested area around seven kilometres from Kakur police station limits in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh, the release said.
Naxalites had concealed the materials in the forest for carrying out attacks targeting security forces in the border region, officials said, adding that the heavy machinery and equipment used in the fabrication process were destroyed on the spot.
"The operation dealt a significant blow to Naxalite activities in the region," Superintendent of Police M Ramesh said. |
