Villagers tip-off saves Jharkhand Home Minister

This is the second such attack in four months, the first one targeting Rural Development minister Enos Ekka.

A tip-off by local villagers helped police defuse a landmine barely hours before Jharkhand Home Minister Sudesh Mahto was to travel through that area.

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On spotting some wires between Badalu and Rangamati in Silli Block, about 60 kilometres from Ranchi, the villagers informed the police who defused the 30 kg landmine three hours before Mahto's vehicle was to pass through.

Mahto is the second Jharkhand minister to have escaped an extremists attack.

Rural Development and Transport Minister Enos Ekka had claimed last September that he was the target when a bomb went off in Simdega wounding a couple of his escort party personnel.

"The villagers spotted the explosives and informed the police," Mahto, who represents Silli assembly constituency, told PTI.

"I was supposed to pass through that area to see a football match at the Rangamati play ground around 2 pm and the police found the landmine around 11 am," Mahto, who latter attended the match, said.