Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres set ablaze stock of tendu (Diospyros Melonoxylon plant) leaves worth INR 90 million, at a warehouse in Nawamguda village in Gariyaband District of Chhattisgarh on June 12, reports The Times of India. The Maoists kept on hostage three guards deployed at the godown premises, and breaking the locks of one of the warehouses, they put on fire nearly 1,700 ruck sacks stuffed with tendu leaves. More than a dozen armed Maoists appeared fromthe forest late on Tuesday around 2330 hours and got hold of the guards on duty, and while few of them kept the guards on hostage others went towards one of the three godowns with kerosene oil and match boxes, Police said. They broke open the locks and set ablaze 1700 ruck sacks full with tendu leaves, the Police added. The Maoists escaped the spot and left the guards locked inside a room to prevent them informing Police immediately. The Manpur Naxal [Left Extremism, LWE] Divisional Committee is behind the incident, Police said adding that searching was on to arrest the accused.
Subsequently, Police successfully recovers a huge cache of arms and ammunition at a Maoist camp in forest in Gariyaband District of Chhattisgarh on June 12, reports The Times of India. Based on input about presence of Maoists in the region, a team of District Police went on an anti-Maoist operation in forests of Manpur on the mountains of Tarjhaar when they spotted a bunker of Maoists which had huge cache of arms and ammunition including an indigenous rocket launcher.Police said that two muzzle loading guns, one air gun, one country revolver, five gelatin wire, 12 bore rifle, eight live bombs and equipment to make weapons along with explosives were recovered from the spot. This shows that Maoists were present on the spot few moments ago and they might have escaped on being informed by local villagers about police approaching their camp, a Police official said.Police have sounded alert inthe region and the operations were intensified.