(MENAFN- IANS) Raipur, Sep 2 (IANS) In a significant success for security forces combating Left-Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh, 16 active Maoist cadres were arrested during a joint operation in Bijapur district, officials said on Tuesday.

The arrests dealt a major blow to Maoist activities in the Bastar division, one of the worst-affected regions of the state.

The operation was carried out jointly by the District Reserve Guard (DRG), personnel from Basaguda, Gangalur and Jangla police stations, and units of CoBRA 210 and 202 battalions, along with the CRPF's 229 battalion.

Acting on intelligence inputs about Maoist movements, the teams launched a coordinated search that led to the arrests.

A large cache of explosives and equipment was recovered from the possession of the arrested ultras. The seized items include an IED, cooker bomb, tiffin bomb, cardex wire, safety fuse, electric wires, multimeter, and digging tools.

Police also found Maoist propaganda materials meant to spread their ideology and mobilise local villagers.

During interrogation, the arrested cadres confessed that the explosives were meant to be planted as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) targeting security forces.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The arrested ultras were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.

Recently, 31 Maoists carrying a combined reward of Rs 81 lakh surrendered before the police.

Since January, as many as 307 Maoists have surrendered in Bijapur, while 331 others have been arrested, and 132 have been killed in encounters.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said again and again that the country will be completely free of Naxalism (Maoism) by March 31, 2026.

He has said that based on the bravery displayed by security forces and the precise strategies devised by intelligence agencies, forces will definitely achieve this goal.

He added that the Maoists who rest every year during the rainy season will not be able to sleep peacefully this monsoon because security forces will continue their operations.

MENAFN02092025000231011071ID1110006323