Patna: Securitymen said they foiled an attempt by Maoists to attack the personnel after a raid on the rebel hideouts in Aurangabad district, around 140km southwest of Patna, on Tuesday.

Police seized a huge consignment of explosives, including an improvised explosive device, one rifle of 12 bore, and live cartridges.

A joint team of the central paramilitary force and district police raided the Dhelkahi forest under Tandwa police station jurisdiction in Aurangabad district. Mukesh Kumar, commandant of the 20th battalion of Sashastra Seema Bal, said the security forces launched the combing operation in the area following intelligence inputs that several top-ranking Maoist leaders had assembled at Dhelkahito carry out a major attack.

The Maoists, the security personnel said, managed to escape taking advantage of the topography. A rifle, a 2kg IED, three uniforms and electric wire were seized from the spot, additional superintendent of police (operation) Rajesh Kumar said. "Raids are underway to nab the activists," he said, adding that the IED was stored to carry out a major attack on the security forces.

The police had earlier recovered a rifle of .315 bore, 21 live cartridges, detonators, injections, police uniforms and solar plates during a search operation in the Langurahi forest in the district.

They had also destroyed several Maoist bunkers in an operation on April 21.