IN a swift operation, security forces averted a major threat by defusing an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted inside a beer bottle, allegedly placed by Naxals to target personnel patrolling the area. The explosive was discovered about 100 meters off an unpaved road between newly established security camps at Pedia and Mutwendi. A joint team of the 85th and 199th battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was conducting a Road Opening Patrol (ROP) and demining operation when the CRPF Bomb Disposal Squad detected the IED.

 

Officials said the explosive was placed around two kilometers from the Pedia camp, concealed inside a beer bottle and rigged as a pressure IED. The setup indicated an attempt to inflict casualties on security personnel traversing the route. Acting promptly, the CRPF’s Bomb Disposal Squad successfully neutralised the explosive on the spot, thwarting any potential harm. Security forces remain on high alert in the region, with intensified anti-Naxal operations to counter such threats.