IED event in Chhattisgarh, Narayanpur area, India on Sun 18th January 2026

Security Forces (SFs) foiled an ambush bid by the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres by recovering material used in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the forests of Orchha, Raynar, and Dhanora in Narayanpur District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on January 18, reports ap7am. Joint teams comprising personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the District Police recovered a large quantity of explosives and weapons-related materials during two separate search operations. Officials say the Maoists were planning to use these materials to launch attacks against SFs, but the timely intervention thwarted a major conspiracy. Acting on credible intelligence, the 29th Battalion of ITBP along with Narayanpur Police conducted an intensive search in the forests of Orchha, Raynar, and Dhanora. During the operation, security personnel recovered items hidden by the Maoists near Bhatbeda and Asnar. The seized materials included seven batteries, a Motorola communication set, a multimeter, a circuit board, jute bombs, and electrical wires. These items are commonly used in the preparation of IEDs, leading authorities to suspect that the Maoists were preparing for explosive attacks in the region.