Goa, Aug. 29 -- In a major breakthrough, security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district have recovered a massive cache of arms, ammunition, and Maoist-related materials following intense encounters in the Abujhmad forests, police said on Friday.

For the first time in the Bastar region, a Trichy Assault Rifle, an Indian-made firearm primarily used by security personnel, was seized from Maoists. Police suspect it may have been looted from forces in the past and are verifying its source through databases.

The operation, launched on August 24, involved the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, and three ITBP battalions (38th, 41st, and 45th). Multiple gunfights broke out during the five-day-long offensive in Kasod, Kumuradi, Ma...