Landmine found on route of securitymen in Jharkhand

A powerful landmine probably targeting securitymen carrying ballot boxes after panchayat election was found planted on a road connecting Manatu and Padma in Maoist-hit Palamu district today, the police said.

Superintendent of police Anup T Mathew told newspersons that the CPI (Maoist) ultras planted the landmine last night at a spot under Manatu police station to target the security personnel.

They were to take that route carrying ballot boxes today after completion of the 4th phase of the Panchayat election yesterday.

However, the security personnel combing the area in view of the election detected the explosive timely and defused it in a nearby jungle, he said.