IED planted in 2008 in Chhattisgarh, recovered

Raipur, July 31: Security forces today recovered a powerful 40-kg improvised explosive device (IED), planted by Maoists eight years back in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on National Highway 63, police said.

Acting on input provided by a surrendered naxal, the explosive, packed in a big steel container, was unearthed from Bastanar valley under Kodenar police station limits of the district, Bastar Superintendent of Police R N Dash said.

Cadre Ramesh, who recently surrendered in Narayanpur district, during interrogation revealed that a powerful landmine was planted around 1.5 km away from Bastanar Chowk towards Geedam on the highway that connects Jagdalpur to Dantewada and Bijapur district headquarters, he said.

A team of local police along with Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) recovered the explosive, the SP said. "The IED was planted in 2008 when the road was single-lane and kuchha before the construction.

A major incident was averted after the detection as it was a live explosive," the SP said, tagging the recovery as a "major success". The explosive was immediately neutralised by the BDS, he added.

PTI