Palamu, May 6: Security forces recovered five improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during a joint search operation on the Jharkhand-Bihar border on Tuesday, in a significant breakthrough against Maoist insurgents in the region, police said.
The explosives were recovered from the Chhakarbandha forest in Panchrukhiya, located on the border of Palamu district in Jharkhand and Aurangabad district in Bihar. The operation was launched based on specific intelligence that Maoist commander Nitesh Yadav had hidden arms and explosives in the area, which was previously considered a safe haven for extremist elements.
“Five IED bombs have been recovered from Chhakarbandha forest on the border of Palamu and Aurangabad,” said Rakesh Kumar Singh, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Campaign, Palamu.
The search operation was carried out under the directive of Palamu Superintendent of Police Rishma Rameshan and led by ASP Singh. The explosives were found concealed at the foot of a mountain, an area long associated with Maoist activity.
Multiple security agencies were involved in the inter-state operation, including the Palamu and Aurangabad police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jharkhand Jaguar, and Bihar State Task Force (STF).
“This is being considered a big success for the police against the extremists in recent times,” said Chandrashekhar Singh, reporting from Medininagar, Palamu.
The operation marks a renewed push by authorities to root out remaining Maoist strongholds in eastern India, where the insurgency has historically posed challenges to internal security and development efforts.
