CRPF Thwarts Major Tragedy by Defusing IED in Chhattisgarh

The CRPF defused a 20-22 kg IED in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, hours before Naxals killed eight police personnel and a civilian. The explosive, hidden in a plastic drum, was discovered during an anti-Maoist operation and neutralized by a bomb squad. A separate Naxal attack involved a 60-70 kg IED.

In a critical prelude to deadly violence, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) successfully detected and defused an improvised explosive device (IED) weighing about 20-22 kilograms in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday. The recovery came seven hours before Naxals detonated an even larger IED on a security vehicle, tragically killing eight police personnel and a civilian driver.

A senior CRPF officer highlighted the potential disaster averted, noting the devastation caused by the Naxal-triggered explosion later that day, which claimed nine lives in the district. The hidden IED, encased in a blue plastic drum, was found by a 196th battalion patrol party during an anti-Maoist operation in the Usoor police station area at approximately 7:30 am.

The troops utilized a JCB machine to excavate the device from an unmetalled road, stated officials. This defused IED weighed roughly 20-22 kgs and was deactivated by the force's bomb disposal squad, allowing the restoration of traffic flow. The deadly attack later involved a 60-70 kg IED planted along a known security personnel route, exploding around 2:15 pm near Ambeli village.

(With inputs from agencies.)