New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS): The Central Reserve Police Force and the police in a joint operation recovered 12 IEDs hidden by Maoists in the forests of Burha Pahad.

This marks another success for the CRPF under Operation Octopus, the ongoing anti-Maoist operation at Burha Pahad along the borders of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

The CRPF said that the bombs were recovered in a joint operation of its Cobra Battalion and the Chhattisgarh police on Thursday, on the basis of intelligence received from Balrampur police.

Burha Pahad was once a stronghold of Maoists but is now under the control of security forces.

According to sources, all the recovered IEDs were defused on the spot. A further search is underway in the forests.

Earlier on November 19, about 120 IEDs were recovered from the spot.

The Maoists fled after the CRPF battalion set up its temporary camp in the area during Operation Octopus to free Burha Pahad from the Maoists. The CRPF personnel have been recovering explosive material during search operations being conducted in the forest spread over a large area.