Security forces foil Maoists' plan in Chhattisgarh, detect and destroy 45 kg IED

Bhopal, March 28 (IANS) In a significant achievement, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) successfully defused a powerful 45 kg improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists in the Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.

The device, discovered on the Cherpal-Palna road, was neutralised on Friday morning, averting a potentially catastrophic incident.

According to information, early morning, a team from the CRPF 222 Battalion set out from the Palanar camp for area domination duty. While returning between 8.00 a.m. and 8.30 a.m., they discovered the IED planted by Maoists on the Cherpal-Palanar road, approximately two kilometers from Cherpal.

The bomb, designed to target the security convoy, was equipped with a command switch system located 150 meters away from the explosive. With the vigilance and alertness of the security personnel, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) from Bijapur and the CRPF 222 Battalion neutralised the IED on-site, successfully preventing a major accident.

The operation demonstrated the preparedness and efficiency of the forces in handling such threats.

This is not the first such incident in Bijapur. In February, a 25-kg IED planted by Maoists was found and destroyed near Dhan Mandi, three kilometers from Usur village on the Usur-Awapalli main road. The explosive, concealed in a plastic container, was neutralised by the BDS team, preventing any harm.

These efforts are part of the ongoing anti-Naxal operation under the “Naxal-free India by 2026” initiative. Security forces have intensified their operations, recently eliminating 30 Maoists in two encounters -- 26 on the Dantewada-Bijapur border and four in Kanker. However, the operation came at a cost, with one District Reserve Guard soldier losing his life. Two others, including a deputy superintendent of police, sustained severe injuries but are now recovering.

In a separate incident earlier this month, Maoists detonated an IED targeting a vehicle carrying security personnel in the Bijapur district. The blast narrowly missed its target, occurring moments after the vehicle passed through the area. While the explosion caused minor injuries to two jawans and a civilian driver, a major tragedy was averted.

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