Law Kumar Mishra
Ranchi, September 28
A CRPF jawan was killed and an inspector-ranked officer was injured in an IED blasts which took place during an anti-insurgency operation under the Tonto Thana area in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday afternoon.
The victims were from the 209 CoBRA battalion, the elite anti-Maoist team of the paramilitary CRPF. Officials said they came in the range of the IED explosions while conducting the operation in the densely forested stretch between Tumbahaka and Sarjamburu villages in the Kolhan forest division.
Inspector Bhupendra Kumar and jawan Rajesh Kumar sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to a hospital in Ranchi. Despite the best efforts of the doctors, Rajesh Kumar succumbed to injuries in the evening. Kumar is reported to be hailing from Chhattisgarh. However, further details cannot be ascertained.
Sources said Bhupendra Kumar, also in the same hospital, is battling for his life.
According to a press statement issued by the West Singhbhum police, the blast took place at about 12.15 pm while the jawans were defusing the three IEDs discovered in the area. Before falling victim to the explosion, the team had already destroyed two IEDs and discovered 31 spike holes dug up by the Maoists to target the security forces.
The intelligence agencies have inputs that a large number of Maoists, including top leaders of the outlawed outfit CPI-Maoist, have sneaked into the Kolhan forest division since January this year. The police and CRPF are trying to flush the rebels out from the hideouts by carrying out anti-insurgency operations.
