Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have long been recognized as one of the most insidious and effective tools in the arsenal of Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) groups in India. These devices, often crafted from readily available materials like fertilizers, pressure cookers, or industrial explosives, are not only cost-effective but also highly adaptable to various terrains and operational scenarios. They exploit vulnerabilities in security protocols, human psychology, and environmental factors, turning routine patrols or disposal operations into deadly traps. For police and paramilitary forces in LWE-affected areas, IEDs represent a constant, asymmetrical threat that amplifies the psychological strain of counter-insurgency operations.
West Bengal’s encounter with LWE traces back to the seminal Naxalite uprising in 1967 in Naxalbari, Darjeeling district, which ignited a broader Maoist-inspired movement across rural India. The state witnessed intense violence in the 1970s, followed by a resurgence in the late 1990s and 2000s, particularly in the Jangalmahal region encompassing districts like West Midnapore (now Jhargram), Purulia, and Bankura. This area, characterized by dense forests, tribal populations, and socioeconomic disparities, provided fertile ground for Maoist recruitment and operations. By the mid-2000s, groups like the Communist Party of India (Maoist) or CPI(Maoist) had entrenched themselves, using IEDs to target security forces and disrupt state authority.
Although West Bengal has made significant strides in curbing organized LWE activities since 2011—through a combination of developmental initiatives, intelligence-led operations, and community engagement—the legacy of IED-related casualties persists. According to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), between 2000 and 2025, West Bengal recorded over 150 LWE-linked fatalities, with IEDs accounting for a substantial portion, particularly among security personnel. Notably, many of these losses stemmed not from direct combat but from mishandling during detection, defusal, or transportation of IEDs. Factors such as inadequate training, equipment shortages, procedural lapses, and overconfidence contributed to these tragedies.
Incidents of Police Deaths and Injuries Due to Mishandling of IEDs
Incidents involving the mishandling of IEDs have caused serious loss of life and injuries among police personnel, particularly in conflict-affected and insurgency-prone areas. These tragedies usually occur during recovery, transport, or defusing operations, when officers are required to work in extremely dangerous conditions with unstable and poorly constructed explosive devices.
In many cases, police personnel are called to neutralize crude bombs or landmines based on local intelligence or public information. Such devices are often homemade, lack standard triggering mechanisms, and may include anti-handling features. Even experienced bomb disposal experts face high risks, as a slight movement, vibration, or tool error can trigger a sudden explosion. Mishandling during lifting, inspection, or dismantling has frequently resulted in fatal blasts.
Several incidents have shown that inadequate equipment and protective gear greatly increase vulnerability. In earlier years, bomb disposal teams often operated without advanced remote-controlled tools, blast suits, or robotic systems. As a result, officers had to rely on manual methods, placing themselves dangerously close to explosives. Poorly marked safety perimeters and the presence of senior officers or civilians nearby further magnified the impact of such accidents.
These explosions not only cause deaths but also leave many officers with permanent disabilities, severe burns, and psychological trauma. Survivors often require long-term medical treatment and rehabilitation. The loss of trained bomb disposal personnel also weakens operational capacity and lowers morale within the force.
Overall, incidents of police casualties due to IED mishandling underline the need for strict safety protocols, modern equipment, and specialised training. They have prompted gradual improvements such as remote-handling techniques, better protective gear, and stronger exclusion zones. Despite these measures, the risks remain high, making IED disposal one of the most dangerous duties performed by police forces.
Case Analysis – I: Jhitka Forest, Lalgarh, West Midnapore district
On 21 September 2006, a powerful explosion occurred in the Jhitka forest, highlighting the grave danger posed by explosives used by Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) groups. The blast took place during a landmine disposal operation conducted by the West Bengal Police Bomb Disposal Squad in the remote forested area of Lalgarh.
The police team had reached the location after receiving information from local villagers about a concealed landmine. Along with bomb disposal specialists, senior police officers and members of the media were also present at the site. While the specialists were carrying out a render-safe procedure to neutralise the device, it suddenly detonated—either accidentally or due to a hidden anti-handling mechanism.
In the explosion, two Bomb Disposal Squad specialists were killed instantly due to blast pressure and fragmentation. Several others sustained serious injuries, including then Additional SP (HQ), and the Officer-in-Charge of Lalgarh Police Station. Inadequate perimeter control and the presence of non-essential personnel near the blast site significantly worsened the impact of the incident.
The Jhitka forest explosion exposed the extreme risks involved in handling improvised and unstable explosives, even for highly trained personnel. It underscored the importance of strict safety zones, controlled access, and specialised equipment during disposal operations.
This incident proved to be a turning point in the Lalgarh conflict. In its aftermath, police procedures were revised, with increased emphasis on remote-handling techniques, improved protective gear, and stricter enforcement of exclusion zones during IED and landmine neutralisation tasks.
Case Analysis – II: Jaunpur village, Baishnab Nagar, Malda district
On 2 May 2016, a fatal bomb disposal accident occurred in Jaunpur village, under Baishnab Nagar Police Station, close to the Bangladesh border. A team from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) bomb squad was deployed to defuse a cache of crude bombs recovered by local police. The operation was carried out amid heightened security following reports of pre-poll violence and illegal bomb-making activities in the area.
During the defusal process, two crude bombs exploded unexpectedly, causing severe injuries to three CID officers—Vishuddhananda Mishra, Subrata Chowdhury, and Maniruzzaman. The explosion highlighted the highly unstable and unpredictable nature of homemade explosive devices, even when handled by trained specialists.
The injured officers were initially rushed to Malda Medical College and Hospital for emergency care and were later shifted to Kolkata for advanced treatment. Tragically, Mishra and Chowdhury succumbed to their injuries while being transported near Farakka, due to the severity of blast wounds. The third officer, Maniruzzaman, survived but required prolonged and intensive medical treatment.
Senior police officials later stated that the explosives had been moved to a relatively isolated location to reduce the risk to civilians. However, the incident exposed the extreme dangers faced by bomb disposal teams, particularly when dealing with crude, locally manufactured explosives. The Malda incident remains a stark reminder of the life-threatening risks borne by police personnel in the course of safeguarding public safety and reinforced the need for improved equipment, protective gear, and stricter safety protocols during explosive disposal operations.
Case Analysis – III: Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri district
On the night of 29–30 August 2013, a fatal bomb disposal accident occurred in Alipurduar, then part of Jalpaiguri district. Police had recovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from the area and shifted it to a local club ground, considered an open and relatively safer location for defusal. A specialised bomb disposal team was deployed to neutralise the device.
During the defusal attempt, the IED exploded suddenly and with considerable force. One experienced bomb disposal expert was killed on the spot, while two other personnel sustained critical injuries due to blast pressure and shrapnel. The injured officers were immediately evacuated to nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment. The explosion caused panic in the surrounding locality and led to heightened security measures across the region.
Senior police officials later stated that the device was highly unstable and may have been fitted with a sensitive triggering mechanism, making manual handling extremely dangerous. The incident exposed the severe risks faced by bomb disposal teams in North Bengal, particularly when dealing with crude or non-standard explosive devices.
The Alipurduar tragedy drew attention to operational shortcomings, including the lack of advanced protective gear, limited use of remote-controlled defusal equipment, and insufficient safety perimeters. It became a stark reminder of the life-threatening nature of explosive disposal duties and reinforced the need for stricter safety protocols, modern equipment, and specialised training for bomb disposal personnel.
Case Analysis – IV: Nanoor, Birbhum district
On November 14, 2011 (Monday), a fatal bomb disposal accident occurred in Birbhum district, West Bengal, during efforts to neutralize a large cache of crude bombs seized the previous day from Nanoor, a region notorious for political violence and turf wars. The Birbhum Police Bomb Disposal Squad was tasked with safely disposing of nearly 1,100 crude bombs recovered from Suchpur village, where they had been buried underground in three plastic containers.
The team included a Sub-Inspector, along with two other officers. While handling and attempting to defuse or dispose of the unstable homemade explosives, one bomb suddenly detonated, causing a powerful explosion. The Sub-Inspector and the two other policemen sustained critical injuries from blast overpressure, shrapnel, and fragmentation.
The injured officers were initially rushed to a local hospital in the area and then referred to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment. Tragically, the Sub-Inspector succumbed to his severe injuries en route to the hospital. The other two officers survived but required intensive medical care.
Preliminary investigations and eyewitness accounts indicated that standard safety protocols were not fully adhered to; notably, the officers were not wearing protective bomb suits, which exacerbated the outcome. This incident highlighted the inherent dangers of manually handling large quantities of volatile, improvised crude bombs—often linked to local political rivalries, election violence, or factional clashes in strife-torn areas like Nanoor (infamous for past massacres and bomb recoveries).
The tragedy underscored critical gaps in equipment, training, and procedural rigor for bomb disposal operations, particularly in politically volatile rural zones. It prompted renewed emphasis on mandatory use of remote-handling tools, bomb suits, and stricter SOPs to mitigate risks to personnel during such high-stakes tasks. This case remains a poignant example of the perils faced by police bomb squads dealing with unstable homemade devices in non-LWE but conflict-prone contexts.
Case Analysis – V: Kanker, Chhattisgarh
On December 15, 2024, in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan sustained minor injuries when an IED planted by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres exploded during a defusal attempt. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on the Hetarkasa village road near Panidobir camp, amid an ongoing area domination operation by security forces in the Maoist-affected region.
A joint team, including BSF personnel, detected the IED during routine patrolling and anti-Naxal activities. While attempting to neutralize the device, it detonated unexpectedly, causing blast injuries to a Jawan—specifically to his hand and face. The injuries were described as minor by officials, including Kanker Superintendent of Police, and he received immediate medical attention.
The mishap underscored risks in manual or close-proximity defusal of volatile Maoist-planted IEDs, often booby-trapped or unstable. It reinforced the need for advanced remote-handling equipment, protective gear (e.g., bomb suits), and enhanced detection protocols in high-risk forest terrains. South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) records this as part of 2024’s IED incidents, where such devices remain a primary tool for insurgents to target security forces during patrols and neutralization efforts.
This case exemplifies the ongoing challenges in Chhattisgarh’s counter-insurgency landscape, where even detected IEDs pose grave dangers during disposal, demanding rigorous adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to minimize personnel casualties.
Case Analysis – VI: Nowgam Police Station – Srinagar
On November 14, 2025, a devastating accidental explosion occurred at Nowgam Police Station on the outskirts of Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. A stockpile of confiscated explosives—primarily ammonium nitrate, seized earlier from Faridabad, Haryana, as part of an investigation into a suspected “white-collar” Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror module involving radicalized professionals—was being handled for forensic examination by a joint team of Jammu & Kashmir Police, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) personnel, crime scene photographers, and other officials.
The mishap during processing and sampling triggered a massive detonation, ripping through the police station complex, igniting fires, destroying vehicles, and shattering windows in nearby homes. Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat confirmed it as an “accidental explosion” due to a handling error, ruling out any terror involvement or foul play. A high-level probe was ordered to determine exact safety lapses.
Casualties included 9 deaths—mostly police officers, three FSL/forensic team members, two crime photographers, one State Investigation Agency (SIA) official, two revenue/civil administration officials, and one civilian (reportedly a tailor present with the team). Between 27 and 32 people were injured, including policemen, revenue officials, and civilians from adjacent areas; several critically wounded were airlifted or treated at hospitals.
The incident highlighted severe risks in storing, transporting, and examining large quantities of high-explosive materials (estimates ranged from hundreds to over 2,000 kg) without adequate safeguards, remote tools, or segregated protocols. It underscored broader vulnerabilities in forensic and evidence-handling procedures for sensitive terror-related recoveries, especially amid heightened national security concerns following a recent Delhi car blast. This tragedy prompted renewed calls for standardized explosive management SOPs, better protective infrastructure, and training to prevent such avoidable losses among law enforcement and support personnel.
Case Analysis – VII: Bankebazaar, Gaya, Bihar
On November 8, 2010, in Bankebazaar block of Gaya district, Bihar, two security personnel from a bomb disposal squad were killed while attempting to defuse a powerful “can bomb” planted by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres on the premises of the block office. The incident occurred amid heightened Maoist activity during a nationwide 24-hour bandh (shutdown) called by the rebels, coinciding with the Bihar Assembly elections phase. The explosive device, described as a crude but high-yield improvised bomb, detonated accidentally during the neutralization process.
The deceased were identified as Vijay Kumar and Jai Chand Prasad, both members of the Bihar Military Police (BMP) battalion attached to the bomb disposal unit. Bihar Director General of Police termed the event “highly unfortunate,” confirming the blast resulted from mishandling the volatile Maoist-planted device. No additional casualties were reported, though the explosion highlighted the extreme risks in LWE zones where insurgents frequently booby-trap or use unstable components in IEDs to target security forces.
This tragedy reflected the volatility of Left-Wing Extremist devices in Bihar’s insurgency-affected areas like Gaya, where Maoists exploited administrative vulnerabilities to disrupt governance and elections. It underscored procedural dangers in manual defusal without adequate remote tools or protective gear, prompting renewed emphasis on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), better equipment, and intelligence-led pre-clearance in high-threat environments. The case remains a stark reminder of the human cost in countering Maoist explosive tactics during peak insurgency periods.
Conclusion
The repeated incidents of police deaths and injuries during IED and bomb mishandling highlight the extreme risks inherent in counter-insurgency and explosive disposal duties across India. Whether in the forests of Jangalmahal, Maoist-affected regions of central India, or sensitive urban and border areas, unstable homemade devices continue to exploit gaps in procedure, equipment, and human judgment. The loss of trained bomb disposal and CID personnel not only claims lives but also leaves lasting physical, psychological, and operational scars on security forces. Although significant improvements have been made since the mid-2000s through better SOPs, protective gear, and remote-handling technology, the threat remains persistent. These tragedies underline the need for constant vigilance, institutional learning, and sustained investment in training and technology. True respect for fallen personnel lies in preventing repeat incidents by ensuring the highest safety standards for those tasked with neutralising hidden and deadly threats.
References
- South Asia Terrorism Portal. (n.d.). West Bengal: Fatalities in Left-wing Extremism, 2000–2025. Institute for Conflict Management. https://www.satp.org
- Ministry of Home Affairs. (2025). Annual Report 2024–2025: Left Wing Extremism. Government of India. https://www.mha.gov.in
- Times of India. (2011, November 15). Bomb disposal expert killed in explosion. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- The Statesman. (2016, May 3). Two CID officers killed in Malda bomb blast. https://www.thestatesman.com
- Hindustan Times. (2006, September 22). Two killed in landmine blast in West Midnapore. https://www.hindustantimes.com
- The Telegraph India. (2011, November 15). Birbhum bomb disposal tragedy: Cop dies in Nanoor blast. https://www.telegraphindia.com
- The Hindu. (2013, August 30). Bomb disposal expert killed in Alipurduar IED blast. https://www.thehindu.com
- Press Trust of India. (2010, November 9). Two bomb disposal personnel killed in Gaya Maoist blast. https://www.ptinews.com
- The New Indian Express. (2024, December 16). BSF jawan injured in IED blast during defusal in Kanker. https://www.newindianexpress.com
- Greater Kashmir. (2025, November 15). 9 killed, over 30 injured in accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station. https://www.greaterkashmir.com
