The anti-Naxal operations have been intensified in the Bastar region in view of the first round of lok Sabha elections that are scheduled for April 10. Two Naxals have been arrested and several bombs were defused in the region.
According to official information received from the office of Additional Director General of Police (Naxal Operations) RK Vij, two suspected Naxals were arrested during police checking near Koilebeda police station.
The suspected Naxals were identified as Ramesh Kumar Anchal and Santuram Anchal, residents of Kasadand. Police claimed warrants had been issued for both in connection with various cases.
Police sources said that two other Naxals managed to escape from a police trap at a weekly market in the restive Sukma district. During search based on suspicion two youths were held who were carrying knives. However, both managed to run away. They were identified as Madhvi Somda, resident of Upmalli, and Muchki Mukka, of Gattapal.
The office of the ADGP informed that the Naxals have placed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), pressure bombs and booby traps in a large number of places near polling booths, schools and pathways to interrupt the lok Sabha elections.
Dantewada police during a search of an area between Katekalyan and Dantewada found several IEDs and defused them. Similarly, Narayanpur police detected two IEDs weighing 20 kg and 25 kgs each on Kuknar-Narayanpur Road and cleared them. Jagdalpur police also found an IED that was planted on way to Kaknar polling booths. Dantewada police also defused a 35 kg IED pipe bomb in Mangar area of Abujhmad.
In another incident, police said, the Naxals triggered a blast in Aundhi area on way to Bagdori polling booth in Rajanadgaon district. However, no one was hurt in the incident.
Bijapur police found large numbers of booby traps laid in Pusnar area of Ganglur police station. About 400 booby traps which were made by sharp large size nails were cleared from Pusnar that were laid by the Maoists, police said. In a rare incident, Naxals reportedly removed bombs they had placed in a school when the villagers of Jangampal protested, police said.