A major tragedy was averted after two Naxal-planted landmines carrying 50 and 25 kg explosives were unearthed from a national highway in Dantewada on Monday, barely days after an Improvised Explosive Device blast left eight CRPF personnel dead in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.
A special police team unearthed the landmines from NH-221 near Manikonta village in Errabor following a tip off that ultras had placed explosives deep under the road, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra said.
Naxals also fired at the team that reached there to de-mine the road. The gunbattle continued for over 30 minutes following which Maoists fled the spot.
There were, however, no casualties in the encounter and operations were on to remove the landmines, the SP said.
Mishra said they have received information about the presence of more IEDs and landmines on the highway following which security forces have been pressed into service to scan the stretch.
The Maoists might have planned another deadly IED blast after the Bijapur incident on Saturday which claimed the lives of eight CRPF personnel, he said.
Dantewada district has witnessed the deadliest Naxal attack on the security forces last month, where 76 CRPF personnel were trapped and gunned down by the ultras.
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