Security forces in Jharkhand foil Maoist ambush, neutralize 22 IEDs

A joint team of district police and CRPF battalions and Jharkhand Jaguar (JJ), a special anti-Maoist police force foiled an ambush by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) extremists on Monday after they detected and neutralized 22 IEDs planted along a jungle track in Jharkhand’s in West Singhbhum district, police said.

“We had credible information that the CPI (Maoist) extremists had planted 22 IEDs in the jungles around Regarbera and Arahasa under Goilkera PS area. During the search a joint team of district police, CRPF Battalions 60 and 157 and JJ bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) detected 22 IEDs planted in a series connected with codex wire on Regarbera-Arahas jungle track, covering 120 meters of area. Each of the IEDs weighed 8-10 kg,” Ajay Linda, West Singhbhum superintendent of police (SP), said this evening.

The incident happened in the afternoon. The SP said this track was used by both the security forces and the local villagers.

“The Maoists had planted these IEDs to inflict serious damage and harm the security forces. It could have led to loss of lives of the innocent villagers as well. The JJ bomb detection and disposal squad recovered all the IEDs and defused and destroyed them at a safe location,” said Linda.