Security forces detected and defused a 30-kg landmine during a search operation in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district on Monday.

According to police, the state and para-military forces found the 30-kg landmine in the Chanho jungle under the jurisdiction of Vishnugarh police station of Hazaribagh district, about 145 km from Ranchi. Maoist guerrillas had planted the landmine to detonate security forces vehicles.
  

The landmine was later detonated by the bomb disposal team of the security forces.

Maoist guerrillas have planted thousands of landmines in jungles of the state. Last year security forces recovered more than 300 landmines in various districts of the state.