45 kg landmine recovered from West Singhbhum forest

Security personnel today recovered a powerful landmine from Saranda forest during an anti-Naxal operation in West Singhbhum district, police said.

Security personnel comprising district police and CRPF detected the landmine, weighing 45 kg, planted under a culvert in Bitkilsoya village under Jaraikela police station in the forest by Maoist outfit, Chakradharpur sub-divisional police officer Alok Priyadarshi said.

The explosive was defused by bomb disposal squad in the forest, he said.

Eighteen policemen were killed in a landmine blast triggered by the ultras in the district in 2002.