RANCHI: Cleaner of a tractor was killed while the driver is still struggling for his life after the IED, planted by Maoists in Kolhan jungles, blew up under the pressure of the wheels of a tractor heading towards Hatiburu CRPF camp in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
According to police, the tractor was carrying construction material for the construction work being done at the CRPF camp. The driver was identified as Bablu Bodra while the cleaner was identified as Lobo Gope.
“Both the driver and the cleaner were rushed to the primary health centre at Sonua for first aid and later to the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital, but cleaner Lobo Gope succumbed to his injuries during treatment,” said West Singhbhum SP Ashutosh Shekhar.
The incident took place in the afternoon on the way to Hatiburu CRPF camp under Goelkera Police Station, he added. Notably, state police have launched a joint operation in Kolhan jungles 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.
The Maoists have planted IEDs to check security forces entering into the jungles, due to which regular incidents of blasts are taking place during operations. At least 11 civilians have been killed and seven others have been injured so far in IED blasts planted by Maoists in the past 10 months in the hilly terrain
inside the Kolhan reserve forests in the district.
Interestingly, the Maoists have also 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.