Major Maoist attack foiled in Odisha; landmine seized near railway track

Rourkela: Security personnel foiled a major attack by Maoists at Topadihi area under Koida police limits in Sundargarh district.

The local police and District Voluntary Force (DVF) personnel in a joint operation seized a landmine weighing more than 10 kg near a railway track at Topadihi Railway Station on Wednesday.

A bomb disposal squad deactivated the landmine in a nearby forest to foil the plan allegedly planted by the Maoists to destroy the railway track that could have led to a major train mishap.

Following the incident, the search operation has been intensified near the locality.

Based on the intelligence inputs, the railway authorities have alerted the Topadihi Railway Station staff on possible Maoist attacks.

The CRPF and RPF jawans have been deployed on the spot to keep a vigil on suspicious movements near the railway station.

The incident came after Maoist menace in neighbouring Jharkhand where three jawans including one from Odisha were martyred in exchange of fires with red rebels last week.