RANCHI: A seven-year-old tribal girl was killed in an IED blast after she stepped over a pressure bomb planted by the Maoists in Kolhan jungles of West Singhbhum.
The incident took place at around 9:30 am on Tuesday. The location comes under the Radhabeda forest in the Tirilposi village under the Jaraikela police station.
The deceased girl was identified as the daughter of Sanika Gagarai, a resident of the Tirilposi police station area in Jaraikela of West Singhbhum.
She had entered the jungles early in the morning to collect Sal leaves and firewood. According to an official communiqué from the state police, the girl unfortunately stepped over the pressure bomb, triggering the blast.
She died on the spot. Soon after the incident, villagers informed the police, who rushed to the spot and recovered the body.
“Another woman has also sustained minor injuries in the incident,” the official communiqué also stated.
Notably, the top leadership of the CPI (Maoist) organisation is believed to be camping in the Kolhan forests of West Singbbhum.
In order to protect senior leaders from security forces, the Maoists have laid a network of pressure bombs. The security personnel have been working to remove them.
As of now over two dozen villagers including women have lost their lives on being exposed to the IED blasts in the Maoist-infested West Singhbhum.
Several security personnel have also been killed in the IED blasts triggered by Maoists in Kolhan jungles.
CRPF, CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar, and Jharkhand Police personnel are involved in the ongoing search operation against the Maoists in the Saranda jungles.