The police unearthed and defused a land mine pitched by the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) party naxalites near Palem vagu near Rachapalli village in the district on Wednesday.
According to Superintendent of Police R. Bhaskaran, the landmine was planted purportedly targeting the police in the Telangana - Chhattisgarh border area. The wire connecting the explosive was buried till the Koppugutta, from where there was a good view if anyone passed that way.
Being in forest area and the highly Maoist-affected the police took time before disposing the bomb.
The mine was spotted by the workers of the Palem vagu project on March 4 and the police was informed about it. The project work was stopped and none was allowed to go near the area. The villagers and the shepherds were warned against going there.
Mr. Bhaskaran said that the Maoists were resorting to such incidents only to make their presence felt and create terror in the area. “The people need not worry about incidents relating to naxals. We are taking steps to put an end to the Maoist activities in the area,” he said.
About a month ago, huge explosive dump was found in Cherla of Bhadrachalam district. The areas under Wajedu, Venkatapuram and Cherla mandals which are on the border of Chhattisgarh are Maoist-affected.
The current incident too clearly shows that the police were the target of the explosive. This route was usually taken by the police while conducting combing in the forest and VIPs too visit the area to check the progress of the project.
Previously, on December 1 one auto driver was injured after Maoists planted a pressure bomb on the Venaktapuram – Cherla highway. Posters and banners addressed by Maoists were also found in that area.
