RANCHI: In an unfortunate incident, a Jharkhand Jaguar (STF) jawan was martyred and a Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) Head Constable (HC) was seriously injured in in an IED blast triggered by Maoists in the heavily forested border area between the Chotanagra and Jaraikela police stations in West Singhbhum.
The incident took place in Radhapoda forest under Jaraikela police station area while the security forces were on a search operation. The Maoists triggered a pre-planted IED, causing critical injuries to the CRPF head constable Vishnu Saini and Jharkhand Jaguar constable Sunil Dhan.
Local police and CRPF rushed to the spot and both the injured were airlifted to Ranchi for better treatment. After reaching the hospital, the doctor declared that Jharkhand Jaguar's constable Sunil Dhan succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Meanwhile, CRPF Cobra's head constable Vishnu Saini is under treatment and is said to be stable.
Notably, several Maoist commanders are active with their squads in the Saranda forests of Chaibasa and have planted thousands of IEDs to check security forces enter into the jungles, due to which regular incidents of blasts are taking place during operations.
Since November 2022, as many as six security personnel have lost their lives while 20 others were critically injured, besides claiming lives of nearly 22 civilians, leaving a dozen others critically injured, in IED blasts triggered by Maoists in the jungles of Chaibasa.
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 Chaibasa SP, 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.
The state police have launched a joint operation in Kolhan jungles in November 2022 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.