Raipur/Bijapur: Security forces successfully thwarted a Maoist plot by destroying a powerful command IED on Thursday, which had been intentionally planted under a bridge on the Basaguda-Awapalli road in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected district of Bijapur.

The Central Para Military Force (CRPF) team, engaged in a combing operation, first detected the live bomb using mine detection equipment.

Upon discovering the 50 kg command IED, the team deemed it unsafe to remove. They collaborated with a bomb disposal squad and safely detonated the explosive.

The explosion was substantial enough to destroy an anti-landmine vehicle, according to a senior police official from Bastar. Fortunately, the timely detection of the IED prevented another deadly attack, similar to one that had occurred recently on the Kutru-Ambeli road.

Following the blast, a large crater formed on the road, prompting security forces to establish an alternative route for daily commuters.