The district police unearthed three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), reportedly planted by the banned CPI (Maoist) in the forest region near Seekupanasa of Pedabayalu mandal on Thursday.
SP (Visakhapatnam Rural) A. Babujee said the IEDs had been planted by the Maoists in order to target security forces deployed on election duty. Mr. Babujee added that the IEDs were meant to be triggered via remote control, with each explosive weighing close to 5 kg.
“The IEDs were found in the forest region bordering Cheekupanasa, Injari, Kondru and other villages. Forces reached the spot, and detected and defused them. Had the IEDs exploded, there would have been heavy loss of life,” said Mr. Babujee.
The SP also added that the Maoists have targeted police forces in order to prevent smooth conduct of the elections. Pedabayalu, an interior mandal located about 130 km from Visakhapatnam city and about 35 km from Paderu, is known to be a Maoist stronghold. Several booths in Pedabayalu mandal were identified as problematic, and additional forces were deployed by the rural police. On Wednesday, there was a blast near Jolaputtu area in Odisha region, close to Munchingputtu mandal.