10 kg IED planted by Naxalites recovered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

A day after eight police personnel and a civilian driver were killed in a blast in Bijapur, security forces on Tuesday recovered a 10 kg improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said.

A team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and district police found the explosive device near Belpochcha village on the Konta-Golapalli road, an official said.

He said during a de-mining exercise on the route, security personnel spotted the IED planted beneath the road and averted a major mishap.

The explosive has been neutralised, he added.

Naxalites on Monday blew up the security personnel's vehicle using a 60-70 kg IED near Ambeli village under the Kutru police station area in Bijapur district.

Eight security personnel, four each from the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters units, travelling in the SUV and the vehicle's driver died on the spot.

Naxalites often plant explosives to target security forces during their anti-Naxal operations in Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Sukma, police said.