Raipur, Oct 11 : In a major breakthrough against Maoists, security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district successfully foiled a Maoists plot to target personnel with deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a joint team of the District Police and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 53rd Battalion recovered and safely defused three Command Cooker IEDs, each weighing approximately 5 kg.

The explosives were strategically planted between Kodliyar Bichpara and Neecheppara villages under Kohkameta police station jurisdiction ' a region known for sporadic Maoists activity.

Officials confirmed that the devices were intended to inflict maximum damage on patrolling security forces.

Robinson Guria, Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur, Akshay Sabdra, additional SP, and Ajay Kumar, additional SP, Naxal Operations, have led the anti-LWE campaign in the district.

The operation was launched on early Thursday morning after reliable sources tipped off authorities about possible IED placements in the forested terrain.

The joint de-mining team, comprising district police and ITBP's 'B' Company, conducted a meticulous search operation. Upon locating the devices, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) employed technical charges to neutralize the threat while strictly adhering to safety protocols.

Command Cooker IEDs are a favoured tool among Maoists insurgents due to their concealability and high lethality.

These pressure-based devices are often camouflaged in household items and triggered by movement or remote signals, posing grave risks to security personnel and civilians alike.

The successful defuse marks a significant victory in the on-going efforts to make Narayanpur a Maoist-free district.

Authorities emphasised that proactive intelligence gathering and swift action were key to averting potential casualties.

'This operation reflects our commitment to safeguarding the region and dismantling extremist networks,' said SP Robinson Guria.

Investigations are going on to trace the perpetrators and prevent future sabotage attempts.

Officials noted that increased trust between villagers and law enforcement has led to more actionable inputs, enabling preemptive strikes against insurgent activities.

As part of the broader counter-insurgency strategy, awareness campaigns and civic outreach programs have been ramped up to encourage public participation in maintaining peace and security across Narayanpur.

/IANS