Landmine, explosives seized during combing ops in Odisha

The police said while three landmines were recovered from Singaranga village in the Kotagarh police station area in Kandhamal district during a joint combing operation by CRPF and local police, explosive materials were seized by BFS jawans during another raid in Narayanpatna area of Koraput district.

"The three land mines of different shapes and sizes were defused after recovery," CRPF Commandant Dinesh K Singh said at Muniguda in Kandhamal.

Similarly, the joint raid by BSF and special operation group of the Odisha police also found explosives, including 129 gelatine sticks, wire and tifin bombs besides Maoist literature, uniforms and medicines in Narayanpatna area, Koraput SP Avinash Kumar said.

The joint operation would continue in the Koraput area, a senior police officer said.

In a major success in anti-Naxal drive, security forces yesterday gunned down at least five Maoists in a gun-battle at Gajapati-Ganjam-Kandhamal tri-junction of Odisha.