In a major breakthrough against Naxal insurgency, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district have dismantled a key Maoist dump hidden deep in the Sansasati jungle near Badegobara village under Manpur police station. The operation, conducted on February 28, 2026, yielded a staggering haul including Rs 46.31 lakh in cash, firearms, ammunition, a laptop, and other rebel supplies.
Acting on precise intelligence from surrendered Maoists, a joint team comprising Gariaband’s E-30 Ops unit and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Dhamtari launched a targeted mission. The tip-off revealed caches stashed by top leaders of the Dhamtari-Gariaband-Nuapada division, exposed during intense interrogations of rebels who had laid down arms under the state’s rehabilitation policy.
The exhaustive search operation uncovered multiple dumps scattered across the hilly terrain. Among the seized items were one Barmar gun with 33 rounds, a Surka rifle, 32 BGL shells, one laptop, two mobile phones, and a massive stockpile of ammunition: 10 INSAS rounds, 11 SLR rounds, 45 AK-47 rounds, 41 .303 rounds, 23 single-shot rounds, and 26 12-bore rounds. Additionally, 13 electronic detonators, 10 non-electronic detonators, and heaps of Naxal literature were recovered.
This seizure marks a significant dent in the Maoist network, coming amid sustained anti-Naxal campaigns over the past two years in Gariaband. Most listed rebels in the division have either been neutralized or surrendered by January 2026, thanks to aggressive operations and rehabilitation outreach. Officials hail the success as a preventive strike against future ambushes and violent incidents.
Aligning with the central government’s goal to eradicate left-wing extremism by March 31, 2026, the operation underscores the effectiveness of reintegrating surrendered cadres into mainstream society. Their inputs have been invaluable in exposing hidden arsenals. Investigations into the cash and weapons continue to unravel funding trails and supply chains, promising further disruptions to insurgent activities.