Raipur, April 18, 2025 – A joint operation by Chhattisgarh Police and the 201st CoBRA battalion uncovered a Maoist hideout in Abujhmad’s Narayanpur district on Wednesday, seizing Rs 6 lakh in cash, 11 laptops, 50 kg of explosives, and bomb-making materials, including 10 pressure cooker IEDs. The raid, based on precise intelligence, dealt a blow to the CPI (Maoist)’s urban network in the Bastar region, per Livemint (web:4).
The haul, found in a forested camp near Orchha, included detonators, batteries, and Maoist literature, hinting at planned urban attacks (The Indian Express). “This disrupts their tech-driven ops,” SP Prabhat Kumar told Times of India, noting laptops stored propaganda and logistics data (web:5). The cash, likely for arms or recruitment, ties to 2024’s 15 Maoist funding busts (The Hindu). No arrests were made—cadres fled—but three suspects are in custody (India Today).
Abujhmad, a 4,000-sq-km Maoist stronghold, saw 72 encounters in 2024, killing 136 rebels (MHA). The raid follows April 14’s Sukma clash, where 29 Maoists died (Business Standard). X buzzes—“Crush the reds!”—but some warn: “Locals get caught in crossfire” (post:1). Chhattisgarh’s 2.6 crore people, 30% tribal, face a grim toll—1,200 civilian deaths since 2010 (NCRB). “Maoists exploit poverty,” a Raipur activist told The Economic Times.
India’s 8,000 active Maoists—down from 20,000 in 2010—lean on tech, with 60% of 2024 seizures including laptops (web:7). The raid’s timing, amid Waqf tensions, underscores security stakes (NDTV). For India’s 140 crore, it’s a question—can force end this war, or is dialogue the key?
