Security forces seized 13,800 detonators, three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other weapons during raids on alleged Maoist hideouts in the hilly and forested areas of Bihar’s Gaya district.

A joint team of Bihar police, special task force (STF), CRPF 159th battalion and Cobra 205th battalion on Monday raided the Pandara Hills area under Lutua police station on the basis of intelligence inputs.

“We received an alert that the Maoists have hidden arms and ammunition in large quantities in the Pandara Hills area for some big destructive and violent incident. Accordingly, a joint raiding team was constituted and dispatched,” Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ashish Bharti said.

One section of the raiding team recovered a .303 rifle and 100 bullets of 7.62mm. It also chanced on three IEDs in a valley among the hills. The personnel destroyed the explosive devices on the spot.

“The security forces chanced on two inter-connected caves in the hills. They discovered five plastic sacks and a backpack while searching the caves. The sacks yielded 13,800 detonators, cordex wire (a kind of detonating cord), explosives, a black uniform, two basic phones and two walkie-talkie sets,” Bharti said.

Maoists have previously used explosives, cordex wire and detonators to lay landmines to blow buildings or police vehicles in several states.