A 25-kilogram Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Maoists on the Usur-Awapalli road in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district was safely detected and dismantled by the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) team on February 6. The device, placed in a plastic container near Dhan Mandi, was successfully destroyed by authorities.

The operation follows a recent encounter in which security forces dismantled a Naxalite camp, recovering a significant weapons cache, including an INSAS rifle, a 12-bore rifle, and a BGL Launcher. Two personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) sustained minor injuries but are reported to be stable.

Earlier that day, a gunfight erupted around 8:30 AM in the Gangaloor police station area, where security forces killed eight Naxalites. The deceased were reportedly members of the Gangaloor Area Committee, Company No. 2, and the Militia Company from the West Bastar division. The identification of the bodies is underway, with officials suggesting that more Naxalites may have been injured or killed in the clash.

Reinforcements are continuing search and patrolling operations in the region, following the deadly encounter.