RANCHI: In yet another achievement by the security forces, as many as 14 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a huge cache of explosives weighing more than 50 kg were recovered during a search operation in the forests of Chitpil under Toklo Police Station in Chaibasa.
The IEDs were destroyed at the spot by the bomb disposal squad due to security reasons.
According to police, following a tip-off, a joint operation was launched involving personnel from Jharkhand Police and the CRPF’s 60th Battalion. The operation was focused on forested and hilly areas near the Chaibasa–Seraikela border, a region known for frequent Maoist activity.
“During the search operation, the security forces discovered 14 powerful improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted with an intent to ambush patrolling units. Due to security reasons, these IEDs were safely defused by the bomb disposal squad,” stated an official communique from Chaibasa Police.
In addition to that, an underground Maoist explosive storage site was found, containing 52 polybags filled with nearly 52 kgs of a white powder suspected to be ammonium nitrate — commonly used for making bombs by the Maoists, it said.
“To prevent any potential misuse, the explosives were destroyed on-site, and the storage facility was dismantled. A case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Explosive Substances Act, and the CLA Act,” stated the official communique.
Meanwhile, the security forces continue to monitor the area and are on high alert for any further movement of senior Maoist leaders.
Notably, Maoists are now restricted only to the Saranda jungles in Jharkhand as they have been wiped out from other pockets of the state. According to an estimate, around 85 - 90 Maoists are supposed to be hiding in Saranda jungles, where they have planted thousands of IEDs, which have become a challenge for the security forces.
The state police have launched a joint operation in Kolhan and Saranda jungles of Chaibasa in November 2022.
The joint operation, conducted by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police, was launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders in the region, including Misir Besra, a senior CPI(Maoist) commander with a bounty of Rs one crore on his head.