Jamshedpur, Sept. 4: Police and paramilitary forces today recovered a 50kg can bomb placed next to a road leading to a camp of the CRPF’s 197th Battalion at Thalkobad in Manoharpur police station area of Saranda in West Singhbhum.

The can bomb, buried under mud, was detected around 11am and defused by a bomb squad of the paramilitary forces three hours later.

DIG (Kolhan) Arun Kumar Singh said the explosive device was detected and seized following a tip-off by a villager.

“Joint forces led by West Singhbhum police were tipped off when they were carrying out long-range patrolling in Thalkobad. On searching the area, the forces first stumbled upon a long wire along the roadside and subsequently detected the bomb,” said the DIG.

He pointed out that the explosive device was not planted recently but a few months ago in all likelihood. However, it was still active and could have had a disastrous impact if detonated, he added.

“We have stumbled upon landmines and can bombs weighing up to 30kg in the past, but not this heavy,” said Singh.

A senior police officer added, “It appears Maoists had planted the can bomb along a road used by CRPF personnel often.”

The forces had recovered three more can bombs from places in Saranda last month.