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CRPF personnel carry the defused bomb in Bokaro on Saturday. (Pankaj Singh)
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Bokaro, Sept. 29: A group of goatherds stumbled upon a powerful landmine that had been planted under a culvert on a road connecting Bhandaridah and Alargo in Bokaro’s Chandrapura here today.
According to police sources, the mine weighing 25kg — capable of blowing up an armoured anti-landmine vehicle — had been planted at a site barely a kilometre from the ancestral house of Dumri MLA Jagannath Mahto.
The police could not confirm whether the MLA was the target, but said the mine was recovered around 6.30am, half an hour before he and his entourage usually crossed the culvert.
Police could not also say whether the planting of the mine was the handiwork of Naxalites, as the area was relatively “peaceful” compared to Nawadih and Gomia blocks of Bokaro district.
Police said the four goatherds first spotted some wires and then found the mine while grazing their cattle. They immediately raised an alarm and informed village elders who got in touch with Chandrapura police.
A team of security officers, including Rajendra Kumar, Mohan Singh and Rajendra Kumar Singh of CRPF’s 26th battalion, Bermo deputy superintendent of police S.K. Pathak, and Balinder Kumar of Bokaro police soon rushed to the spot along with members of a bomb squad. The mine was defused and carried away to the CRPF camp for inspection.
Speaking to The Telegraph later, MLA Mahto said he crossed the area everyday in the morning.
“It is the first time that a landmine has been detected in the area which is known to be peaceful. I am undeterred. Let the police investigate and find out the culprits,” Mahto said.
Bokaro SP Kuldip Dwivedi said they were not ruling out anything and investigations were on. “We have asked the CRPF and security forces present in the area to step up vigil and stay alert,” he added.
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