Naxals trigger IED blast in Jharkhand's Saraikela: Eight CoBRA jawans, three state police personnel injured in second attack in a week

Eleven personnel of the CRPF and Jharkhand Police were injured in an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) blast triggered early on Tuesday in Kuchai area of the Seraikela Kharsawan district in Jharkhand. The blast took place at around 5 am when a joint team of the CRPF’s special jungle warfare unit, 209 CoBRA battalion and, the state police was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation in the forests, PTI reported.

Among the injured, 8 personnel are of CoBRA while 3 of Jharkhand Police, ANI reported. All the injured were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment and three are reported to be critical.

According to reports, the IED is suspected to have been buried under a dirt track. After the blast, the Maoists fired at the security personnel, who then fired in return. However, the Maoists managed to escape from the area, which has now been cordoned off.

According to sources, Maoists have been active in this area for quite some time and have attacked police personnel before as well. CPI (Maoist) supremo Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraj had arranged a meeting in Jharkhand to strengthen the organisation in this region and given the responsibility to Patiram Manjhi alias Anal who has a prize money of Rs 25 lakh on his head and is currently camping in the area with two other members of the organisation — Maharaj Pramanik and Amit Munda — who have a reward of Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lack each.

The same group was reportedly involved in the attack on police personnel on 21 May in this area, two days after the Lok Sabha election got over. Two SAP personnel were injured in the encounter with Maoists after the latter opened fire on the security personnel when they were patrolling the Naxal-affected areas under the Kharswan Police station, a PTI report said.