Phulbani: Security forces have unearthed an illegal country-made gun repair and manufacturing unit during a combing operation in forested areas near Panaspadar village under Brahmanigaon police limits in Kandhamal district.
The operation, conducted on Sunday under the leadership of BSF Inspector Manish Kumar Suman, led to the seizure of two country-made firearms along with tools and equipment used in the fabrication and repair of weapons. However, no individuals were found at the site during the raid.
Despite extensive search operations in the surrounding forest areas, security personnel were unable to apprehend any suspects. Officials suspect the unit may have been linked to Maoist operatives active in the region.
Sources indicate that Maoist activities in the area are being carried out under the leadership of Shukru, a state committee member of the KKBM Maoist division. He is believed to be operating from forest corridors spanning the borders of Kandhamal, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Rayagada districts.
In response, joint security operations have been intensified under the supervision of the Kandhamal Superintendent of Police. Personnel from the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, District Voluntary Force (DVF), and other units are actively engaged in coordinated combing and surveillance efforts.
Security agencies have stepped up operations with a strategic focus on the Darangbadi region along the Kandhamal-Ganjam border, where Shukru is suspected to be hiding. The intensified crackdown is part of a broader push to eliminate Maoist influence and achieve a Maoist-free Kandhamal by March 31.
