Security forces have recovered a major Maoist weapons and explosives dump from the Bhandarpadar and Munurkonda forest and hill areas of Sukma district, based on information provided by surrendered Maoists. Police described it as the biggest such recovery in Sukma since March 31, 2026.
SUKMA, India — Security forces on August 24 recovered a large cache of Maoist weapons, ammunition, explosives and other materials from the forest and hilly terrain of Bhandarpadar and Munurkonda under Bheji police station limits in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh. The operation was launched after inputs from surrendered Maoists helped security personnel identify a previously concealed dump.
Key Highlights
- The recovered cache included SLR, .315 bore and .410 musket rifles, BGL launchers, country-made firearms and other weapons.
- Security forces recovered 492 live rounds, 89 BGL cells, five hand grenades, 240 gelatin sticks and 18 kg of gunpowder.
- The joint operation involved the district force, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters.
- Police said the weapons had been hidden underground in a difficult forest and hill area to evade security forces.
- Teams are continuing searches for previously planted IEDs in the wider area, according to Sukma police.
Major Maoist weapons dump recovered in Munurkonda forest
According to Sukma police, the joint team began area domination and search operations in the Bhandarpadar forest and hill region on August 24 under the direction of Superintendent of Police Mayank Gurjar and Additional Superintendent of Police (Naxal Operations) Rohit Shah.
During the intensive search, personnel located a dump that had been concealed underground. The material was searched and recovered with security precautions, revealing a substantial stockpile of firearms, ammunition, explosives and other Maoist-related equipment.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh: A huge amount of Naxal arms and ammunition, including SLR Rifle, 315 Bore, musket rifle, BGL Launcher, Grenades and other items recovered from the forest area of Bhandarpadar and Munurkonda under Bheji PS limit by security forces. pic.twitter.com/k0foSMBz94
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2026
What weapons and ammunition were recovered
The recovered weapons included an SLR rifle, a .315 bore rifle, an .410 musket, six BGL launchers, a single-shot rifle, a .315 bore country-made pistol, five 12-bore rifles and seven bharmaar guns. SLR and .303 magazines were also recovered.
The ammunition recovery included 45 live AK-47 rounds, 196 SLR rounds, 89 INSAS rounds, 97 .303 rounds, 20 .315 rounds and 45 rounds of 12-bore ammunition. Police said the combined total was 492 live cartridges.
The explosives and related material included 240 gelatin sticks, 18 kg of gunpowder, accelerator plugs, 66 BGL cartridges, 89 BGL cells and five country-made hand grenades. Magazine pouches and BGL pouches were also found at the site.
Police link recovery to inputs from surrendered Maoists
Sukma SP Mayank Gurjar said the recovery was made on the basis of important information obtained from surrendered Maoists during questioning. According to police, the weapons had been concealed by an area committee in a region where Maoist activity had previously been significant.
The police officer said the operational area is extensive and security teams are continuing searches to locate additional hidden dumps. The force is also examining areas where IEDs may have been planted earlier.
Security teams searching for buried IEDs
Sukma police said weapons and explosive material had been concealed in forests and inaccessible hill areas to keep them away from the view of security personnel. Authorities are continuing area domination and search operations as part of the anti-Maoist campaign.
Police said the effort also includes locating previously planted IEDs and securing affected areas through demining operations. The recovery of the concealed stockpile is being treated by police as an important step in reducing the availability of weapons and explosive material in the area.
Additional Maoist dumps recovered in 2026
The latest recovery follows several operations in Chhattisgarh during 2026 in which security teams recovered concealed Maoist material.
- August 18: During a search operation in Chintalnar, a BDS team recovered 25 gelatin sticks, two electric detonators, 16 BGL heads, 25 detonator cases, Cordex wire, a BGL plunger, flexible wire and battery connectors, along with other material.
- July 15: A Maoist dump was recovered from a forest and hill area near the Kanker-Narayanpur border. Weapons, explosives and other material were found, while a tiffin IED, pipe bomb and BGL cells were safely defused and destroyed at the site by a BDS team.
- July 12: A joint BDS, DRG and BSF team recovered a large dump in Kanker containing weapons, a laptop and a tablet that had been buried in dense forest.
- May 13: Security forces recovered cash, weapons, ammunition, explosives and daily-use items during an operation in Bijapur.
- March 30: A large Maoist weapons dump was recovered from dense forests under Madanwada police station limits in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki.
- February 26: Security forces recovered a major dump from the forest and hill area of Kumuradi village in Narayanpur. The material included explosives, improvised weapons, rocket-launcher cells, mortar cells and medical supplies.
Other items found at the Munurkonda dump
The cache also contained seven pairs of black uniforms, whistle guards, monkey caps and a solar plate. The combination of weapons, ammunition, explosives, clothing and operational accessories formed a sizeable concealed stock of material.
Police said the ongoing search operations are aimed at recovering other hidden dumps and locating old IEDs in the wider area. The latest operation adds another significant recovery to the security forces’ continuing effort to clear concealed Maoist weapons and explosive stocks from forested areas of Sukma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the Maoist weapons dump recovered?
The dump was recovered in the forest and hill areas of Bhandarpadar and Munurkonda under Bheji police station limits in Sukma district.
How many live cartridges were recovered?
Security forces recovered a total of 492 live cartridges, including ammunition for AK-47, SLR, INSAS, .303, .315 and 12-bore weapons.
What explosives were recovered from the dump?
The recovery included 240 gelatin sticks, 18 kg of gunpowder, 89 BGL cells, 66 BGL cartridges and five country-made hand grenades.
Security teams are continuing searches in the area, including efforts to locate previously planted IEDs and recover further concealed material.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Editor at The Nation Bulletin. With over 3 years of experience in digital journalism and news reporting, he covers national affairs, governance, and breaking current events with a commitment to factual accuracy and verified reporting.
