Was the Maoist plot to target security forces in Jharkhand foiled?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 14 IEDs recovered in a joint operation.
- Operation involved Jharkhand Police and CRPF.
- Explosives were safely defused on-site.
- Top Maoist leaders are active in the region.
- Increased security operations underway.
Chaibasa, June 18 (NationPress) A significant Maoist scheme aimed at targeting security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district was successfully thwarted after a collaborative effort by security personnel led to the recovery of a substantial amount of explosives from a forested area, officials reported on Wednesday.
In a coordinated anti-Maoist initiative, the Jharkhand Police, alongside CRPF operatives, unearthed 14 potent Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and 52 kg of white explosive powder from the Chitpil forest, situated within the jurisdiction of the Toklo police station.
Chaibasa Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan indicated that intelligence reports had pointed towards Maoist movements in the vicinity. "In response, a specialized task force was formed under the leadership of the Chakradharpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer and Assistant Superintendent of Police Shivam Prakash (IPS). This team, which included members from the state police and the CRPF's 60th Battalion, commenced a search operation on June 17, culminating in the recovery of the explosives," he stated.
The explosives were neutralized and destroyed at the scene by the Bomb Disposal Squad, thereby averting a potential deadly ambush on patrolling personnel, he added.
A formal case has been lodged at the Toklo police station under pertinent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Authorities disclosed that several prominent Maoist figures -- including Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Anal, Asim Mandal, Ajay Mahato, Sagen Angaria, Ashwin, Pintu Lohara, Chandan Lohara, Amit Hansda alias Uptan, Jaikant, and Rapa Munda -- are currently operational in the Saranda and Kolhan forest areas, devising plans for significant attacks.
In response, intensified joint operations involving the Jharkhand Police, CRPF, Cobra commandos, and Jharkhand Jaguar units have been launched throughout the area to eliminate Maoist presence and dismantle their infrastructure.
This operation follows an uptick in Maoist activities in the region. On June 14, CRPF jawan Satyawan Kumar Singh lost his life in an IED explosion during a collaborative anti-Naxal mission conducted by the Jharkhand and Odisha Police in Sundargarh district.