Ranchi, July 31 (IANS) Police recovered a 40 kg landmine planted by the roadside on the outskirts of Ranchi Saturday.

'The state police and Jaguar force formed to fight Maoists were on routine patrolling and they detected wires by the roadside near Gangahat railway station. They tracked the wires and found them inserted in a landmine. The landmine was taken out and blown up by the bomb disposal squad,' a police official told IANS.

Gangahat railway station is around 35 km from Ranchi.

On Friday, police had recovered a 35 kg landmine on the same route, between Lali and Sengertoli villages, which falls under Namkom police station of Ranchi.

In the last two days, police have recovered two landmines weighing 75 kg.

According to police officials, Maoist rebels have planted landmines by the roadside on routes connecting Ranchi to different districts and detonate them when security forces step up their operation against Maoists.