A can bomb weighing 20 kg was recovered from Topari village in Karampada block under Kiriburu police station area in West Singhbhum district on Monday morning.
According to information, jawans of CRPF’s 197 battalion recovered the improvised explosive device (IED) from Topari-Karampada Road at about 8 am on Monday during patrolling on the first day of the 48-hour Jharkhand bandh called by CPI-Maoist. The bandh became effective from midnight.
West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police Michael Raj confirmed recovery of the can bomb which was buried close to a railway track in Kiriburu.
“During the patrolling the personnel recovered the can bomb. We immediately pressed an anti-bomb disposal squad on service and the bomb was defused,” said Raj.
He said except for the planting of the IED, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the West Singhbhum district on Monday. The rebel outfit called the bandh to protest the alleged anti-labour policy of the Union Government. The bandh will remain effective till the midnight of April 3.
Keeping in view the two day Naxal bandh, the police have made elaborate security arrangements across the twin districts of Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan district. long distance buses did not ply from the Sitaramdera bus terminus.
East Singhbhum superintendent of police (Rural) M Arshi said they have deployed police and para-military forces CRPF on the NH-33 and have intensified patrolling of rebel hit -hold areas since early this morning. Commercial vehicles including long distance buses, trucks and other public carriers stayed off the roads while the movement of private vehicles was very thin.
The administration of East Singhbhum arrangements for safe passage of commercial vehicles on NH-33. An escort was provided to the convoy of commercial vehicles. An anti-landmine vehicle was pressed into service between Baharagora and Pardih. Senior SP of East Singhbhum, Anoop T Mathew said that no untoward incident was reported from any part of the district on the first day of the bandh.
The railways have also taken adequate steps to ensure safety of passengers. Though train routes were not diverted but adequate railway police were deployed in railway stations and in moving trains. Gurabandha, Dumaria, Potka, Bodam, Patamda the naxalite’s den, received the utmost focus with police and paramilitary jointly embarking on the mobile duty with the break of the dawn.
