A high-stakes anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh culminated in the demolition of a Maoist ammunition dump nestled in Gariaband’s Sansasati mountain range on February 28, 2026. Forces recovered Rs 46.31 lakh cash, rifles, bullets, detonators, a laptop, and rebel documents, disrupting operations in the Manpur-Badegobara sector.
Credited to inputs from rehabilitated ex-Maoists grilled on divisional leaders’ secrets, the raid involved Gariaband E-30 and Dhamtari DRG in a coordinated assault. Post-validation, teams fanned out into the impenetrable jungle for a thorough sweep.
Diverse caches revealed a formidable inventory: Barmar gun with 33 rounds, Surka rifle, 32 BGL shells, one laptop, two phones, 10 INSAS rounds, 11 SLR, 45 AK-47, 41 .303, 23 single-shot, 26 12-bore cartridges, 13 e-detonators, 10 mechanical ones, and extensive subversive literature.
Gariaband’s sustained campaigns and reintegration programs have whittled down the Dhamtari-Gariaband-Nuapada Maoist cadre to remnants by January 2026. The haul preempts violence, eroding the group’s strike potential profoundly.
Supporting India’s endgame against Maoism by March 2026, this success highlights surrender policy dividends. Forensic analysis of funds and gear probes deeper into extortion rackets and smuggling lines, paving way for lasting peace.