West Singhbhum: The threat posed by landmines previously planted by Naxalites persists in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district. On October 29, security forces recovered two powerful IEDs (improvised explosive devices) that had been hidden in the ground near the banks of the Koina River, close to Bahda village under the Chotanagra police station area. According to information provided by the police on Friday, a joint operation—involving the 193rd Battalion of the CRPF, Chotanagra Station House Officer (SHO) Gautam Kumar, and personnel from the Jharkhand Police—led to the discovery of these explosives, which were subsequently neutralized following established safety protocols.
Both landmines had been buried along an elevated section of a forest trail, intended to cause significant damage by detonating during the movement of security forces. Their timely recovery averted a potential major tragedy.
It is worth noting that a fierce encounter between security forces and Naxalites took place just 1.5 to 2 kilometers from this site a few months ago. In that incident, 17 Naxalites were killed, including ‘Anal Da’—who carried a bounty of ₹1 crore—and ‘Anmol Da’, who carried a bounty of ₹50 lakh. Despite the decline in Naxalite activity, old explosives remaining in the forest continue to pose a danger to villagers and wildlife.
