Ahead of upcoming polls, Odisha police on Wednesday busted an ammunition dump, suspected to have been used by the Maoists for illegal manufacturing and repair of weapons, along the Andhra-Odisha border area in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected Malkangiri district.

On the basis of specific information, an intensive search was carried out by District Voluntary Force (DVF) and Intelligence personnel of Malkangiri District in the general area under Kalimela police station jurisdiction bordering Andhra-Odisha.

”The operation resulted in uncovering of a major Maoist dump hidden underground in a jungle area near Dayaltung village at about 06.30 AM,” police said in a statement.

This has led to recovery and seizure of huge quantities of Improvised Explosive Devices and IED making materials. It is suspected that these articles were intended to target civilians and security forces, it added.

The explosives and ammunition recovered from the site included among other things 190 gelatin sticks and 12 IEDs.

”The recovery is a major jolt to the subversive and anti-national design of Maoists in this area. We are suspecting that these explosives along with other articles belong to the Maoists cadres of Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) and they were intended to be used against innocent civilians and security forces to carry out their subversive, anti-national activities and to show their presence again in this area. In the wake of recovery, further combing and search operations are going on in this area,” the officer concluded.

The State police and paramilitary forces have stepped up security for peaceful polling in the Naxal-affected areas.

”There is visible transformation in the Naxal areas. Peace and order has returned to the areas, which were hit by left wing extremism for years together. We are quite optimistic that there will be a large turnout of voters in booths in the left wing extremism affected areas,” added an official.

Elections to the Odisha assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the final four of the seven general election phases.