IED Blast Severely Injures 2 CRPF Personnel In Jharkhand: Which Maoist Leaders Are Still Active?

Two jawans of the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit were seriously injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast set off by Maoists in the forest area of Saraikela town of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand, on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The blast happened during a routine search operation in the thick Saranda forests region, which has long been known as a Maoist stronghold. The injured personnel were quickly taken from the site and flown to Ranchi for urgent medical care.

Chaibasa Superintendent of Police, Rakesh Ranjan, said that security forces have stepped up operations in the area to drive out Maoist groups still active in the remote forests of Saranda and Kolhan.

Another blast on the railway track?

Friday’s explosion is the latest in a series of attacks that show the ongoing danger of Maoist violence in Jharkhand. Just two days earlier, an IED placed on the Karampada–Rengda railway track in the same district killed a railway worker.

Police say Maoists often hide IEDs along forest paths and under railway tracks to target security patrols. These bombs are usually triggered by movement and can cause deadly injuries. In June, CRPF jawan Satyawan Kumar Singh died in a similar blast in the Saranda forest.

Who are Maoist leaders in the areas?

March was especially violent, with three separate IED blasts reported. One sub-inspector was killed, and five other personnel were injured in different incidents. Security officials believe several senior Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Anal, Asim Mandal, Ajay Mahato, Sagen Angaria, and Ashwin, are active in the Saranda and Kolhan areas.

In the last three months, security forces have found and destroyed over a dozen Maoist weapon and ammunition stores around Chaibasa. These raids have led to the recovery of a large number of arms and explosives.