RANCHI: Another security personnel was injured in a Maoist-triggered IED blast during an ongoing encounter in the Saranda forests of West Singhbhum on Thursday, taking the total number of injured jawans to six since the gunfight began at 8 am on Wednesday.
According to police sources, security forces have cordoned off the Maoists within a 10-kilometre radius in the Saranda jungles. Top Maoist leader Misir Besra, a Politburo member carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, is believed to be trapped inside.
Misir Besra is considered a key Naxal figure active in the Jharkhand-Odisha region. The injured personnel has been identified as Abhinay Kumar of the CoBRA Battalion, who was later airlifted to Ranchi for advanced treatment.
Chaibasa SP Amit Renu said an encounter is currently underway with the squad led by Misir Besra. Intermittent firing from both sides has continued since Wednesday morning.
“Maoists carried out an IED blast in Saranda targeting security forces on Thursday, during which Abhinay Kumar, a jawan from the CRPF’s CoBRA Battalion, sustained severe injuries,” Amit Renu said. The blast occurred in the forest during an operation, resulting in injuries to the CoBRA jawan, he added.
Reports suggest that some Maoists may have sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange of fire. However, the full extent of casualties among the Maoists will be known only after the operation concludes.
Senior Maoist operatives, including Mochu, Sagen Angaria and Ashwin, were reportedly part of the group. Misir Besra, one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in the region, is believed to have been attempting to relocate when security forces intercepted the squad.
Police said a joint team of the CRPF’s CoBRA Battalion, Jharkhand Jaguar and district police was on a search operation when they encountered a group of Maoists who were shifting their camp within the forest.
Following the encounter, security forces have launched intensive combing operations across the Saranda region. Exit routes have been sealed to prevent any escape.
The operation is being seen as a major development in ongoing anti-Maoist efforts in Jharkhand, especially in the Saranda region, a long-time stronghold of Left-Wing Extremism.
A handful of Maoists still present in the Saranda forests have reportedly shifted to mobile camps to avoid detection by security forces. To prevent police from reaching their bunkers, a network of spike holes and IEDs has been laid around the area.
Despite the presence of IEDs across the region, security forces are advancing cautiously with determination and have established several temporary camps in core areas, the Chaibasa SP said.