Two powerful IEDs weighing 30 kg each found, major mishap averted

Security forces on Saturday recovered two powerful improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weighing 30 kg each, planted by Naxals, in Maoist violence-hit Dantewada district (Chhattisgarh, India), police said.

The IEDs were planted close to a culvert on Metapal-Katekalyan village road to target security forces or VIPs moving during the recently concluded Dantewada by-polls, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dantewada Abhishek Pallava said.

“We had specific intelligence that IED was planted on Dantewada -Katekalyan road, since then de-mining operation was being carried out on the route to trace the explosive,” he said.

Several leaders including by-poll candidates, ministers and ex-ministers moved to Katekalyan via this route during election campaign and police had deployed adequate Road Opening Parties (ROPs) to provide them security which probably averted a major tragedy, he said.