Bijapur: 

A Naxalite bunker was unearthed on Friday during an anti-Naxalite operation by security forces in the Murkarajgutta Hills in Chhattishgarh's Bijapur.

"Command switch mechanism was used in the IEDs, which were placed in a series position at a distance of 3-5 metres beneath the earth. It was planted to target security forces," a police official said, adding that a major tragedy was averted with the recovery.

Maoists often plant IEDs along roads and dirt tracks in forests to target security personnel during patrolling in interior pockets of the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur. In the past, civilians have often fallen prey to such traps.

On January 6, Naxalites blew up a vehicle with a powerful IED in Bijapur district, killing eight police personnel and their civilian driver.

On April 14, five Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), planted by Naxalites to target security forces, were recovered in Bijapur.

The IEDs were detected on a dirt track near Mankeli village by a joint team of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and local police during an area domination and demining operation. 

While three IEDs, weighing two kg each, were packed in beer bottles, two devices, weighing three kg to five kg each, were packed in steel tiffin boxes.

Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav said, "The Cobra 208 team went on an anti-Maoist operation from the Jidpalli Camp. During the operation, a Naxal bunker was found in the hills of Murkarajgutta.

The bunker-like room was 20x08 feet. The Cobra 208 team has so far destroyed 12 such bunkers by conducting search operations in the hill and forest of Murkarajgutta.

Earlier, weapon-making equipment, tools and explosives were also recovered from the forests of Komatpalli and Tumrel.

The bunker, stuffed with items used by the ultras, was covered with a concrete slab. After entering it, security forces found six solar plates, six jackets, two Maoist uniforms and two ceiling fans.

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