Malkangiri: In a significant breakthrough, the District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Malkangiri Police recovered a major Maoist dump containing a large cache of arms, explosives, and other incriminating materials from the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border area early on Wednesday.
Acting on information obtained during the interrogation of surrendered Naxals, the DVF team conducted an intensive search in the forest areas of Cherkotla, Kirmiti, Kotwapadar and Kadabhata under Mathili police station limits in Malkangiri district. The area borders Darva police station in Bastar district and Puspal police station in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.
According to a release issued by the District Police Headquarters of Malkangiri, the dump was unearthed around 5:30 am on August 26.
The recovered items include three country-made guns, multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) of varying weights (5 kg, 3 kg and 2 kg), two Claymore mines, Codex wire, Maoist banners, olive-green Maoist uniforms, raincoats, batteries, wires, and several other articles such as personal belongings and literature.
Police believe these materials were intended to target civilians and security forces and are suspected to have belonged to cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC).
Malkangiri district was declared completely Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, in line with the target set by the Union Home Minister. Between January 2025 and March 31, 2026, two Naxals were arrested and 23 surrendered before the police in the district.
Three major dumps had earlier been recovered in June 2026.Police stated that regular combing and search operations by the Special Operation Group (SOG) and DVF teams are continuing in the area to detect and recover any remaining hidden Maoist arms and materials, aimed at preventing any possible resurgence of Maoist activity.
