Bhubaneswar, Oct 29(Odisha.in) With the seizure of a 10-kg landmine from a forested area, police in Orissa on Saturday claimed to have averted a blast bid by Maoists in the communally sensitive Kandhamal district.
The anti Maoist special operation group personals recovered the landmine planted on a prominent road near Godibali village under Daringbadi police station during a combing operation, deputy superintendent of police Gupta Charan Behera told Odisha.in.
Police had earlier recovered nearly 100kg landmines planted on a road in the same area on Oct 19, he said.
The landmines were found days after local Maoist leader Jagannath Nayak told police that a group of 150 rebels had planned to attack at least two police stations and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp.
The 45-year-old rebel who claimed to be the secretary of a local unit of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) was arrested earlier this month from the same police station area.
The district of Kandhamal, about 200 kms from here has been in news since Maoist shot dead Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his aides in his ashram at Jaleshpeta Aug 23, 2008.
Odisha.in