Bhubaneswar: Used frequently with deadly accuracy and lethal effect, landmines remain the most feared weapon in the hands of the Maoists as they continue to wage a low-scale war against the state.

State police and paramilitary jawans have been falling prey to this insidious weapon despite the extreme caution they exercise while patrolling and moving from one place to another. The last major blast was triggered by the rebels in Koraput's Sunki valley on February 1 last year killing eight Odisha police personnel who were on their way to Angul for training.

Security forces, particularly those deployed in the sensitive districts of Malkangiri and Koraput, have been risking their lives almost daily while carrying out searches and combing operations due to the landmines.

Malkangiri superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena said regular police personnel only patrol areas where pucca roads are available. "The jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) go into interior areas where they follow a standard operating procedure to avoid landmines," he said.

Sources said the increased used of landmines and indigenous explosive devices (IEDs) by the rebels has forced police and paramilitary force jawans to undertake patrolling as far as possible on foot. "Foot patrolling is safer as vehicles are more likely to get caught in the deadly maze of underground explosive wires laid by the rebels," said a police officer. Forces on night patrolling have to be extra careful, he added.

Experience shows that police vehicles, with the exception of specially armoured anti-landmine vehicles, are more vulnerable to such blasts triggered by the rebels who very often use remote control devices to target the forces.

On July 16, 2008, the Maoists had blown up a police van in Malkangiri district killing 17 policemen.

On April 4, 2010, nine SOG jawans were killed in the adjoining Koraput district when the rebels targeted the convoy of three mini buses in which they were travelling. The first bus took the maximum impact of the blast triggered by a remote control device and was thrown 40 feet high in the air with its wreckage falling all around.

"Though such cowardly acts of the Maoists have not deterred our brave jawans who continue to discharge their duty fearlessly, there is no denying the fact that we have to be extra cautious and learn from our experience," said a senior officer.