Overview
- Security forces recovered 711 Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) shells from dense forest near KG Hills in Bijapur on Thursday during an intelligence‑led search operation.
- A joint team of Bijapur district police, a CRPF battalion and a CoBRA unit carried out the combing operation about 1.5 kilometres northwest of the Forward Operating Base at Tadapala.
- All shells were secured and taken into custody under explosive‑handling protocols while authorities have barred public access to Karregutta and nearby hills pending systematic demining.
- Officials described the seizure as a major logistical setback for Maoist forces because BGL shells enable high‑damage ambushes on patrols and security camps, and joint forces are keeping a strong presence to deter reprisals.
- The recovery fits a wider pattern of recent cache finds in the region, including an October Gadchiroli haul of weapons and Claymore devices, and underscores the ongoing clearance and forensic work needed to trace supply lines.