Bijapur, Security forces have recovered 711 barrel grenade launcher shells hidden by Maoists in the past near the Karregutta hills of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, a police official has said, urging the public to refrain from visiting the area for the time being.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team of Bijapur district police, the 196th battalion of Central Reserve Police Force and the 204th battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action launched a search operation, he said. The Karregutta hills, located along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, were once considered a safe hideout for senior Maoist leaders. The recovered shells were secured through prescribed safety protocols, he added. BGL shells are explosive ammunition capable of causing severe damage to vehicles and infrastructure, apart from inflicting fatal injuries. “Civilians must avoid visiting Karregutta and adjoining hills for the time being, as the presence of improvised explosive devices and other explosive materials cannot be ruled out. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Chhattisgarh was declared free from armed Maoist presence on March 31 this year. The forest area surrounding the Forward Operating Base of security forces in Tadapalla village under Usur police station limits was covered during the operation, leading to the recovery of 711 BGL shells concealed by Maoists near KG Hills, the official said on Thursday. KG Hills is about 1.5 km northwest of the Tadapalla FOB. In April-May last year, security forces conducted a 21-day-long operation in the dense forests surrounding the hills, during which at least 31 Maoists were killed.
A demining operation will be undertaken in the area as part of a planned exercise,” the official said.
Security forces also established a new camp in the area in November last year.
