Chhattisgarh: 10 kg IED recovered in Bijapur; four Naxalites held in Sukma

Bijapur/Sukma, Aug 30 (PTI) Security forces on Saturday recovered a 10-kg improvised explosive device planted by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, and nabbed four members of the Maoist organisation, including one carrying a Rs 2 lakh reward, in Sukma, officials said.

The IED, planted beneath the Gorna-Mankeli road within the jurisdiction of the Bijapur police station, was detected by a team of the District Reserve Guard, local police and bomb disposal squad when it was out on a demining exercise, an official said.

The explosive device was fitted with a command switch and connected to an underground electric wire stretching 70 to 80 metres to target security personnel, he said.

The bomb disposal squad neutralised the IED later.

Maoists plant IEDs along roads and dirt tracks to target patrolling security personnel in the interior pockets of the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, including Bijapur.

IEDs have also claimed civilian lives in the tribal-dominated region.

In neighbouring Sukma district, security forces arrested four Naxalites and recovered explosives from them within the limits of Kerlapal police station, a senior official said.

Of the four cadres, Muchaki Deva (29) was active as a militia commander of the outlawed Maoist outfit, while the others were lower-rung cadres, he said.

Deva carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on his head, the official said.

Two tiffin bombs, weighing 5 kg each, four detonators, four gelatin rods, electric and cordex wires were recovered from them, he added. PTI COR NR