Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Jan 21 (PTI) Over 20 IEDs and more than 50 gelatine sticks were recovered by security personnel from a forest in West Singhbhum district on Tuesday during an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police officer said.

A total of 21 IEDs were recovered from the forest near Serengda village and defused by a bomb disposal squad on the spot, Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said.

Also Read | Republic Day Parade 2025 Ticket Price, Parade Timing, How To Book Tickets Online and Offline - Here's All You Need To Know.

Besides, 55 pieces of gelatine sticks were seized from the area and destroyed, he said.

The IEDs were planted by suspected CPI (Maoist) members to target security personnel engaged in the anti-Naxal operation, he said.

Also Read | Airtel Satellite Telecom Service Ready for Rollout in India, Stations Set Up in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, Awaits Centre's Go Ahead: Rajan Bharti Mittal.

The district police have been carrying out a massive combing operation for the last few months, following inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders in core Kolhan area of West Singhbhum, the officer said.

Earlier this month, a minor girl was killed and a woman suffered injuries in an IED explosion in Jaraikela area of the district.

The girl had gone to pluck leaves in Radhabeda forest near Tiriposi village when she accidentally stepped on the landmine, which exploded, police said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)