J’khand IED blast: 1 CRPF personnel dead, one hurt

NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident two CRPF personnel were seriously injured in an IED blast in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Thursday and one of them succumbed to injury later in the course of treatment in Ranchi.

Both the CRPF personnel, belonging to its elite Cobra battalion, were grievously injured in the blast near a forest between Tumbahaka and Sarjomburu villages in Tonto police station area of district during a combing operation against the Maoists by security forces.

In his condolence message, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, “Got to know about the martyrdom of Cobra battalion soldier Rajesh Kumar, who was injured during a search operation under the Tonto police station of Chaibasa.

May God rest the soul of the martyred soldier and give strength to the bereaved family members to bear this difficult time of grief.”

According to IG Police Operations Amol V Homkar, CRPF constable Rajesh Kumar and Inspector Bhupendra Kumar were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment.

However, Rajesh Kumar of 209 Cobra battalion succumbed to his injuries during treatment,while Bhupendra Kumar is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ranchi, he said.

Apart from CRPF’s Cobra battalion, Jharkhand Jaguar of the state police and district armed police were involved in the combing operation against the Maoists, the police said.

Several security forces were injured in the past few months in such incidents.

In August two personnel of the Jharkhand Jaguar Force were killed in a gunfight with Maoists in the same area.

Nine Maoists were gunned down by security forces in 16 encounters in the state so far in 2023.

While another 236 were arrested including a central committee member and area commanders till July this year.