Chhattisgarh: Security forces dismantle Maoist weapons factory in Sukma, foil major attack plot

Raipur, Sep 27 (IANS) In a decisive blow to Maoist insurgents, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district have successfully dismantled a clandestine ordnance factory operated by the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).

The operation, carried out on September 26, was a joint effort by the Sukma District Force and the elite 203rd battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), a specialised unit of the CRPF.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the team launched a search operation from the Mettaguda police camp and combed the dense forests surrounding Erapalli and Koimenta villages. Deep within the forested hills near Koimenta, they uncovered a secret Maoist weapons manufacturing hub. The factory was promptly demolished, and a massive cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives was seized, said a senior police official.

According to Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, the recovered materials suggest that the Maoists were preparing for a large-scale offensive against security forces. “This is a major success. The factory was producing weapons and IEDs intended for use against our personnel. We have foiled a dangerous plot,” Chavan stated, emphasising that such operations will continue to intensify.

The seized items included one vertical milling machine, two barrel grenade launchers (BGLs), 94 BGL heads, 12 empty BGL shells, three bench vices, one hand grinder, six wooden rifle butts, three directional IED pipes, four solar batteries, 80 steel pipe pieces for BGLs, and a large quantity of gas cutter heads, moulding pots, iron cutter wheels, and iron scrap.

The senior police official noted that the factory’s semi-industrial setup, complete with solar batteries and precision milling equipment, reflects the Maoists’ evolving technical capabilities and their intent to sustain long-term operations. The presence of trigger mechanisms and borehole drilling bits further underscores the sophistication of the facility.

This successful raid marks a strategic victory for the security forces, who have ramped up counter-insurgency efforts across the Bastar division. So far in 2025, 249 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters across Chhattisgarh, with 220 eliminated in Bastar alone. The operation not only neutralised a critical Maoist asset but also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring peace and security in the region.

--IANS

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