SSP Saket Kumar Singh with the arrested Maoists in Ranchi on Thursday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, Aug. 30: Security personnel in Bundu recovered a 20kg IED in a milk can, powerful enough to blow up an anti-landmine vehicle, and arrested two Maoists this morning.

The IED was recovered near a culvert between Chutru and Aradih forest, about 40km from the district headquarters, in Bundu police station area.

Senior police superintendent Saket Kumar Singh informed this, saying it was the result of an operation carried out on the basis of intelligence inputs.

“After we got information about the presence of some members of the Ram Mohan squad like Tribhuvan Singh Munda, Pushkar Singh Munda, Biren Singh Munda and Fagu Singh Munda, we started a search operation around 6am with the help of the CRPF’s 196 Battalion posted in Sarjamdih area,” he said.

“During the search operation, we noticed some people at a forest between Aradih and Korda village. As we chased them, few escaped while a 30-year-old was arrested. He was identified as Tribhuvan Singh Munda. On being interrogated, he informed us about the can bomb planted in the forest and tipped off about his friend, Ganesh Singh Munda (27). Ganesh was also arrested 3km away at Charkha Pakhna,” he said.

Singh quoted Tribhuvan as saying, “Ram Mohan had come to us two months ago. He provided a 9mm pistol besides Rs 4,000 cash to us for work. Though the pistol was later taken by two other members of the squad, Fagu and Biren, we are working for Ram Mohan.”

He said Tribhuvan’s statement suggested that Maoists, who used to move with big firearms like AK-47 and Insas rifle in the forest, have now started using smaller weapons. “Tribhuvan’s statement is an eye-opener for us as we were expecting Maoists with big firearms in the forest,” he said.

Asked about the association of the arrested rebels with CPI(Maoists), Singh said, “They had joined the organisation hardly three to four months ago.”

Asked about the can bomb, he said that it could not be brought during the press conference due to security reasons.