Raipur:
Several Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by Maoists to target security forces during elections were found in separate places in Maoist-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, police said.
A pipe-bomb of 35 kg was found in Mangnar village near Indravati river by a combined force of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the district police, a senior police official said.
In another de-mining exercise, five IEDs, each weighing 2 kg, were recovered from Gudabeda village of Kanker district in the North Bastar region this afternoon, the official said.
Security forces also recovered a large number of nail-embedded wooden boards laid by Maoists to harm security forces in Bijapur district in Southern Bastar, in a separate search operation.
As many as 400 nail-embedded wooden boards were recovered from Pusnar village under Gangalur police station limits, he said.
Security forces had conducted a de-mining exercise in several areas of Bastar after being tipped off that Maoists had planted landmines near polling booths and important roads to be used by polling parties to reach their destinations.