Security Forces Nab Naxalites, Seize Guns in Bijapur
Chhattisgarh cops snag two militants, seize deadly cache.
Security forces arrested two hardcore Maoist militia members and uncovered a hidden arsenal of six muzzle-loading guns in Chhattisgarh's volatile Bijapur district, dealing a blow to the insurgents' supply chain. The joint operation by the 228th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police targeted the dense forests around Polampalli village under Pamed police station, a known hotbed for Left Wing Extremist (LWE) activities.
The suspects, Vanjam Hunga (35) and Sodhi Nande (33), were nabbed during a dawn raid, their movements tipped off by intelligence on arms smuggling. Identified as foot soldiers of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist)'s Polampalli Revolutionary People's Committee (RPC), the duo confessed under interrogation, leading forces to a concealed cache in the Padalu forests nearby. These rudimentary but lethal muzzle-loading guns—favored by Naxals for their ease of concealment and use in ambushes—were stashed to arm frontline ultras in potential attacks on security outposts or civilians.
Preliminary investigations reveal the weapons were part of a larger network funneling arms to Maoist cadres amid a surge in LWE violence in Bastar division, where Bijapur remains a flashpoint. "This haul disrupts their logistics and prevents potential strikes," a senior police official told PTI, emphasizing the duo's role in sustaining the insurgency's firepower. Interrogations continue to extract details on broader RPC operations, with sketches of other hideouts emerging.
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Chhattisgarh, grappling with over 500 Naxal-related incidents annually, has intensified operations under 'Operation Prahar,' yielding over 200 arrests and dozens of surrenders this year. Yet, the Maoists' grip on remote tribal areas persists, fueled by grievances over land rights and development lags. This bust not only starves the rebels of arms but signals a message: no safe haven in the Red Corridor. As forces fortify their grid, locals in Polampalli express cautious relief, hoping it paves the way for peace in the strife-torn heartland.
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