IED alert sounded as Naxal threat spikes with new camps in core areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand

New Delhi/Raipur: An alert has been sounded in the anti-Naxal operations theatre of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand following a "spike" in IED blasts and recoveries, including that of a device rigged with beer bottles and a small antenna for remote control explosion, officials said.

The uptick in improvised explosive device (IED) recovery and blasts has been noticed as multiple security forces move into core Naxal areas to meet the Union government's deadline of wiping off Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from the country by March 2026, the officials said.

"To meet this target, the security forces are establishing new forward camps, especially in the remotest districts of Chhattisgarh's Bastar area.The Maoists are no more engaging in one-to-one encounters as they are low on arms and ammunition and hence IEDs are being used in more numbers to kill or maim troops," a senior officer in the security establishment told PTI.

A recent analysis of IED incidents shows a "drastic" spike in numbers and hence the forces have been issued a "high alert" to guard against these attacks and their new technology in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand as the TCOC period is nearing, the officer said.

The Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) is undertaken by the Maoists in summer months to launch attacks against security forces as forests go dry and trees shed leaves allowing a long range of view to pick up movement of security forces.

The analysis report states that during 2020-22, IEDs were being planted by Naxals in a 3-7 km radius of a security camp which are now being found (2023-24) at less than 3 km near CRPF or other forces camps to kill and injure them.

There is also a 25 per cent rise in these incidents during 2022-24 as compared to 2020-2021, the report said.

"This is directly proportional to the establishment of the new forward operating bases (FOBs) in core Naxal areas," a paramilitary force officer said.

The anti-Naxal operations grid is particularly "concerned" after the Central Reserve Police Force last week (CRPF) recovered a 5 kg pressure cooker IED from the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.

This RCIED (remote controlled IED) was fitted with two empty beer bottles, to inflict grievous glass shard injuries on troops, along with a wire connected small antenna kept under a nearby tree and could be detonated from a distance, officials said.

The IED was defused by the CRPF counter-IED team that detected it near the Palnar FOB, they said.

The first such RCIED was recovered by the CRPF from under a bridge in Bijapur district in January.

It was a 50 kg RCIED hidden under the earth. There are chances that usage of such smart IEDs may increase, officials said.

RCIEDs are considered deadly as compared to a pressure triggered (stepping on it) or command (by joining two wires) IED as it can be detonated from a distance by the Naxals.

According to official data, there were a 78 major IED blasts and recoveries in Chhattisgarh leading to killing of eight security personnel in 2024. These figures of major IED incidents have crossed 100 by mid-march in the central Indian state underlining the increased threat as troops work against the deadline of March 2026, officials said.

More than 70 FOBs have been opened by the forces in the two states over the last over an year, the maximum being erected by the CRPF as it remains the lead force for anti-Naxal operations.

Eight personnel of Chhattisgarh Police DRG and Bastar fighters were killed in an IED blast in Bijapur district when Maoists blew their vehicle in January. A CRPF Sub Inspector was killed in a similar blast in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Saturday.

In the same Jharkhand district, CRPF Assistant Commandant G J Sai and two other personnel were injured in an IED blast on March 5.