Jharkhand police in a breakthrough against Maoists seized 72 can bombs and four rifles, as well as a pistol and other explosives, in raids in Seraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, Khunti and Ranchi districts.
The raids followed the arrests of Maoist commanders Jitrai Munda and Jogen Purty in Khunti. They had during interrogation revealed the rebels’ plans to attack the police and paramilitary forces in Kuchai in Seraikela-Kharsawan and Tamar in Ranchi district.
Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police Mohammed Arshi at a news conference said the Naxals had laid can bombs in large numbers at Raisindri hill in Kuchai to inflict casualties to the police and paramilitary forces during their anti-insurgency operations. He said that apart from the can bombs, the rebels had also kept rifles and ammunition hidden in Jharjhara hills at Tamar in Ranchi district for use against the forces.
“Munda and Purty, whom the Khunti police had arrested on Sunday, had said during interrogation that Naxal leaders Anal, Ashim, Amit Munda, Atul and Maharaja Pramanik are active in Seraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum and Tamar in Ranchi district, where IEDs had been laid. The duo had also pointed out the places where the rebel leaders had kept rifles and ammunition hidden.
“On getting the information, a joint team of Khunti, Ranchi, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan police conducted extensive searches. By Tuesday morning, we had found all the bombs and firearms the two rebels had spoken of," said Arshi.
He said the police had found seven can bombs weighing 5kg each on a mud road at Meromjanga close to the Bandi hill in Kuchai and 65 can bombs weighing 4kg each on a road along the Raisindri hill in Seraikela-Kharsawan district. He said the force had seized four rifles with 97 live cartridges and a pistol from Jharjhara hill in Tamar.
The can bombs laid out on a road along Raishindri hill were to detonate when the police and paramilitary forces would pass through the area, said Arshi.
A bomb disposal squad of Jharkhand Jaguar detonated the can bombs, he said.
Arshi said anti-insurgency operations were still on in the areas.
