India - neither and nor can stop people's war - news from indian press

 

Two jawans of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra) were critically injured after triggering a Maoist-planted improvised explosive device (IED) during a search operation in the dense jungles near Baliba village in the West Singhbhum district, police said on Sunday.

“Head constable Alok Das and constable Narayan Das of COBRA Battalion-209 were seriously injured in an IED blast when they hit one of the many IEDs planted by CPI (Maoist) extremists near Baliba village under the Chotanagra PS on Sunday. Both have been medically evacuated from the deep jungle inside the Saranda forests and airlifted to a higher medical care institution in Ranchi. The search operation is ongoing, and we will be able to share further details after a while,” Amit Renu, West Singhbhum superintendent of police (SP), told HT on Sunday.

The SP confirmed that there was no injury to any other jawan or civilian.

“The incident occurred inside the deep, hilly jungles, and there was no question of any villager being present in the vicinity. We have been constantly appealing to local villagers to stay alert and avoid unexplored muddy tracks inside the jungles. We have also appealed to them to inform the police immediately as soon as they spot any suspicious object or activity,” the SP added.

On November 28, an 18-year-old girl, Phulo Dhanwar, died, while two other women, 35-year-old Birsi Dhanwar and 32-year-old Salmi Kandulna, were injured in another Maoist IED blast in the Saranda forests near Kolbhonga village under the Jaraikela PS area in West Singhbhum district.

Maoist IED blasts have continued over the past ten months, claiming five lives and injuring four others in the Saranda forests. Three CRPF-197 personnel were injured in a Maoist IED blast on March 8 at Babudera under Jaraikela police station. CRPF inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was injured on March 18. CRPF-193 jawan Sunil Kumar Singh was martyred, while head constable Partha Pratim Dey was injured at Marangponga on March 22. Jharkhand Jaguar jawan Sunil was martyred, and COBRA Battalion-203 head constable Vishnu Saini was injured in an IED blast on April 12.

A villager died at Silikuta-Lanlakata on the Saranda border in June. Two COBRA jawans were injured at Hindukuli/Hindukocha inside the Saranda forests on August 8. A jawan was martyred and another injured at Babudih inside Saranda on October 10. A 10-year-old girl died in a Maoist IED blast at Digha village inside Saranda on October 28, and a CRPF sniffer dog was martyred inside Saranda on November 9.

As per records, a total of 30 villagers and 12 security personnel have lost their lives in Maoist IED blasts or other violent acts, while over 38 security forces personnel have been injured over the past three years in West Singhbhum district.