Latest news with #DistrictVoluntaryForce
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Maoist camp busted in Nuapada district
1 2 3 4 Balangir: In a significant breakthrough, the District Voluntary Force (DVF), in coordination with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), busted a Maoist camp in the Katphar-Chhatapani area under Boden police station limits in Nuapada district on Friday. "The operation was launched jointly by the DVF and CRPF following credible intelligence inputs. The search team recovered a large cache of explosive materials, along with other Maoist-related articles," SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra, who led the operation, said. According to the police, the anti-Maoist operation was carried out deep inside the forest on Friday morning. During intensive area domination and subsequent search operations, a naxal dump was uncovered, resulting in the recovery of a substantial quantity of arms, explosives and logistical supplies. The security forces recovered a country-made gun and 24 bullet pellets from the site. Additionally, they seized 10 gelatin sticks, three electric detonators and some quantity of gunpowder. Other items recovered from the dump included communication equipment, electrical devices, grocery supplies and a variety of medicines. However, no Maoists were apprehended during the operation. A similar Maoist dump was unearthed a week earlier by security forces, leading to the recovery of a large quantity of explosives and Maoist paraphernalia.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
17 tourists rescued after harrowing night in Odisha Forest
Seventeen tourists — including 13 female— will never forget the harrowing 14 hours they spent after losing their way in a dense forest, battling heavy rain, pitch darkness, and the chilly wind atop 3,000-foot altitude. What began as a pilgrimage trek between two revered temples in western Odisha turned into a nightlong ordeal of fear and endurance, before they were finally rescued early on Thursday (July 24, 2025). Around 2 p.m. on Wednesday (July 23, 2025), a group of 17 tourists from Jharsuguda district of Odisha and Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh set out on an 18-kilometre trek through forested, hilly terrain that connects the twin shrines of Nrusinghnath and Harishankar on Gandhamardhan Hill in western Odisha. As daylight faded, they struggled to navigate the narrow and often confusing paths of the Gandhamardhan Hill and eventually lost their way. Fortunately, despite patchy mobile connectivity, they managed to remain in touch with the outside world. Once local authorities were alerted to the situation, police personnel stationed nearby were quickly mobilised, and a full-scale rescue operation was launched. 'It was a long night for the 17 tourists. From Wednesday evening through early Thursday, our teams tracked their movements and worked tirelessly through one of the most challenging rescue operations,' said Bargarh Superintendent of Police Prahlad Sahai Meena, who directly monitored the mission. Upon receiving the distress call, a dedicated team of the District Voluntary Force (DVF) — comprising 30 commandos equipped with food supplies, first-aid kits, and rescue gear — was dispatched to the hill. Navigating the difficult terrain, they reached the stranded group at 4 am on Thursday morning and brought them to safety. The vulnerability of the rescue team—comprising police and forest personnel—was compounded by the presence of Left Wing Extremists in the region. 'As we remained connected over phone, our first advice was to stay on a bald patch of the hill so they could be easily spotted,' recalled Mr. Meena. 'But the rescue team couldn't ascend due to heavy rain and a slippery trail. They had to pause for several hours,' he described. Adding another layer of difficulty, the stranded group had moved about 500 metres away from the designated spot in wee hours of Thursday. One of the girls was visually impaired, making it extremely difficult to bring her down the hill. A stretcher had to be sent for her evacuation. The group's night-long ordeal under relentless rain—accompanied by two children aged seven and eight—must have been harrowing. They also faced the looming threat of wildlife in the forested terrain. Traumatised tourists were not in a mood to speak to media after their rescue.
Hans India
20-07-2025
- Hans India
Explosives unearthed in Kandhamal; Maoists' plot foiled
Bhubaneswar: Ina major breakthrough for anti-Maoist operations in Odisha, security forces uncovered a substantial cache of explosives and tactical equipment during a combing operation in Kandhamal district. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a team from the District Voluntary Force (DVF) discovered the Maoist dump deep within Guma reserved forest near Sinahibali village, under the jurisdiction of Belgarh police station, police said. The recovered materials include 564 electrical detonators, 77 non-electrical detonators, four remote controls, two electrical sensors, two battery inputs, one electrical switch, a steel drum with cover and a steel tiffin carrier. Officials believe the cache was intended for use in ambushes targeting security personnel engaged in patrol and combing operations in the region. Kandhamal SP Harish B C confirmed that the operation was carried out with maximum caution, involving a bomb disposal squad that first sanitised the area for booby traps and pressure bombs before unearthing the dump. The forested terrain of Kandhamal, known for its dense cover and strategic value to Maoist insurgents, has long posed challenges to law enforcement agencies. However, recent operations have intensified surveillance and combing efforts, leading to a series of successful recoveries. This latest seizure follows a string of anti-Maoist actions in the region. On June 30, two senior Maoist leaders from Chhattisgarh were gunned down in an encounter in Pushungia forest under Baliguda police limits. A separate operation earlier this month yielded rifles, revolvers, cartridges and communication devices from a Maoist camp. Sources within the security establishment said the recovered detonators and remote devices were likely part of a larger plan to disrupt ongoing counter-insurgency efforts. With Maoist activity reportedly spilling over from Chhattisgarh into Odisha's forests, Kandhamal has become a focal point for coordinated operations aimed at dismantling insurgent infrastructure. Authorities have launched a follow-up investigation to trace the origin of the explosives and identify any remaining Maoist operatives in the vicinity. The success of the DVF team underscores the growing effectiveness of Odisha's anti-Naxal strategy, combining intelligence-led operations with tactical precision. As combing operations continue, officials remain vigilant against further threats in the region.
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Odisha police recovers explosives in anti-Maoist operation
BARGARH: The District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Bargarh police recovered a cache of explosives and Maoist materials during a combing operation in Gandhamardhan reserve forest in Paikmal area. Bargarh SP Prahalad Sahai Meena on Monday said the operation was launched on May 30 on the basis of credible intelligence inputs regarding movement of armed operatives of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit in the dense forest. As part of area domination exercise, the DVF team scoured suspected hideouts and recovered several items believed to have been used by Maoist operatives for subversive activities. The seizure list included a gelatin stick, 25 detonators, two bundles of wire, a radio set, stretchable ropes, red banner cloth and a range of daily-use materials including haversacks, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, utensils, clothing and Naxal literature.
New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Maoist with Rs 4 lakh bounty arrested along with arms, ammunition in Odisha
JEYPORE/KORAPUT: Kuniam Hidma, a hardcore Maoist carrying reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head, was arrested during a combing operation jointly carried out by Koraput police and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) near Petguda village in Boipariguda during the wee hours on Thursday. Addressing mediapersons, Koraput SP Rohit Verma said Hidma alias Mohan (33) of Janaguda village in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district was an area committee member (ACM) of the banned outfit CPI (Maoist). A most-wanted Maoist operative in Odisha, Hidma was nabbed when he was trying to flee during the combing operation. Revealing details about the operation, the SP said acting on a tip-off, a team led by Jeypore SDPO Partha Kashyap launched a search in the forest near Petguda on Wednesday night. During the operation, the team spotted four Maoist cadres. In the early hours of Thursday, the Maoists opened fire at the police team. The cops responded with controlled retaliation, ensuring no casualties on their side. While three of the Maoists managed to escape, Hidma was apprehended. A huge cache of arms and ammunition besides Maoist materials were seized from the encounter site. The seized items included one AK-47 rifle, 35 rounds of ammunition, 117 electric and non-electric detonators, gunpowder, walkie-talkies, gunpowder, knives and Maoist literature. During interrogation, Hidma revealed that he joined the Maoist movement in 2007 at the age of 14. Since then, he has been actively involved in extremist operations across Malkangiri and Koraput districts in Odisha besides Sukma and Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. He is linked to several violent incidents including encounters with security forces at Chandameta, Kondajhari, Kumbhikharri and Kolengabida between 2020 and 2023.
