Bijapur, Jul 27: In a major breakthrough against Maoist insurgency, security forces recovered ₹35 lakh in cash buried underground in Saranda forest, Jharkhand, and neutralized four Maoists in a fierce encounter in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.

Acting on intelligence inputs, Chaibasa police unearthed 35 bundles of cash wrapped in plastic and paper, hidden inside steel containers buried deep in the forest soil. The stash, believed to be intended for purchasing arms and explosives, was recovered from the Maoist-infested Saranda region near the Odisha-Jharkhand border.

This recovery underscores the financial network of Maoist groups and their continued attempts to destabilize security operations through covert funding and explosive procurement.

Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, security forces launched a search operation in the Muradonda forest under Usur police station limits. Based on tip-offs about Maoist presence, an encounter broke out on July 26, resulting in the death of four Maoist cadres.

Recovered from the site were INSAS and SLR rifles, explosive materials, and other Maoist supplies. The operation was carried out by a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG), CRPF, and CoBRA units, and intermittent firing continued through the evening.

These operations are part of a broader campaign to eliminate Maoist influence from the Bastar region and Jharkhand’s forest belts.

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