RANCHI: A 23-year-old man was killed in an IED blast triggered by Maoists near Meralgada village in West Singhbhum.
The incident occurred when the man went to a forest near Meralgada village under the Goilkera police station to collect firewood. Earlier also, two civilians were killed in the IED blasts triggered by Maoists in October-November, 2022.
According to police, security forces reached the spot and recovered the body with the help of villagers.
“A 23-year man was killed in the IED blast triggered by Maoists near Meralgada village under Goilkera police station in Chaibasa,” said Chaibasa SP Ashutosh Shekhar. Terming it a "cowardice act", Shekhar said the district police will continue with its operation against the extremists and ensure the security of the rural people.
The Maoists had also put up a blockade by uprooting a tree across a road near Rengarbeda village and pasted posters against the operation on Monday night, he said.
In addition to that, the police have also cleared another road where a "fake IED" was planted on Ichahatu Main Road between Kuira and Soitaba.
State police have launched a joint operation in Kolhan jungles of Chaibasa after a tip-off that some of the senior Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra and Patiram Majhi alias Anal Da, are hiding in that forest stretch, which is said to be strategically important.
As many as 15 CFPF and Jharkhand Jaguar jawans were injured since January in separate incidents of IED blasts during anti-Maoist operations in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Notably, the Maoist have planted IEDs to check security forces entering into the jungles, due to which regular incidents of blasts are taking place during operations.
Interestingly, the Maoists distributed pamphlets in the villages adjacent to Kolhan jungles and warned villages not to enter deep into the jungles as they may walk over an IED and lose their lives.
According to police, despite the fact that Maoists have planted IEDs in the entire area, forces are advancing slowly into the jungles with full determination and have established several temporary security camps in their core areas.