PATNA: Bihar police foiled a major operation of the Maoists in Bihar’s Gaya district following the recovery of a large quantity of landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and raw materials during a special drive launched against the red rebels in the wake of the recent attack on security forces in Chattisgarh on Monday.At least eight security personnel and a civilian were killed in an IED blast in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. A special team of central armed police and the special task force (STF) of the state police cordoned off Tarchua locality, a part of Chhakarbandha forest in Gaya district in the early hours of Wednesday after being tipped off that the area was being used by Maoists as their safe haven. A cave-like corner of Chhakarbandha forest was being used for making IEDs and landmines. The huge stock of explosives and raw materials for manufacturing high-quality IEDs indicated that the Maoists had planned to carry out a Chhattisgarh-type operation in Bihar’s Chhakrbandha forest, close to the Jharkhand border. “This is for the first time when such a quantity of explosives has been seized,” sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Imamganj, Amit Kumar said.The seized articles include four cylinders each weighing four kg, two cylinders each weighing two kg, five pressure cookers each weighing 12 kg, steel containers weighing 10 kg, 44 pieces of tiffin bomb, 20 pieces of tin cutter and 20 pieces of hammer among others. Landmines and IEDs were also recovered from the spot.Police officials associated with the operation said that the area was being used for manufacturing illegal weapons and IEDs despite frequent raids launched by the security forces. The topography of the area which comes under the Dumaria block of the district makes the task of the security forces difficult, they revealed. In October last year, the security personnel had recovered 320 detonators and electric wire besides explosive in huge quantity during an operation in Langurahi and Pachrukhiya forests in Gaya district. The IEDs were meant for blowing up vehicles carrying security personnel during anti-Naxal operations in the district. Gaya, Aurangabad, Lakhisarai, Jamui and Munger are among the five worst Maoist-hit districts in the state.
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