CRPF jawan seriously injured in IED blast in Jharkhand's Saranda forest
Chaibasa, Dec 14
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan of the elite CoBRA Battalion 209 was seriously injured after an improvised explosive device (IED), allegedly planted by Maoists, exploded during a search operation in the dense Saranda forest of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred near Baliba village under the Chotanagra police station area when a joint team of security forces was carrying out a search and area domination exercise as part of an ongoing anti-Maoist operation.
According to officials, the jawan sustained serious injuries when the pressure-triggered IED went off while the team was combing the forest area.
Immediately after the blast, fellow security personnel secured the spot, ensured the safety of the rest of the team, and provided first aid to the injured jawan.
Given the severity of his condition, arrangements were swiftly made to evacuate him from the remote forest area. The district administration was coordinating efforts to airlift the injured jawan to Ranchi at the earliest so that he could receive advanced medical treatment.
Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the entire area and intensified the search operation, deploying additional personnel.
Officials suspect that Maoists may have planted more IEDs in the region to target security forces.
Security agencies are now conducting a meticulous search of the area with heightened caution, using standard operating procedures to detect and neutralise explosive devices.
Officials said Maoist activities in the region are being closely monitored and strict vigilance is being maintained to prevent any further attacks.
The anti-Maoist operation remains underway, with senior officials closely overseeing the situation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set March 31, 2026, as a deadline to eradicate Maoism from the entire country.
On Saturday, a government statement said that “Naxal-affected districts slashed from 126 (2014) to only 11 (2025), with most-affected districts down from 36 to just 3, marking the near-collapse of the Red Corridor.â€
Maoism in the country was spread across the “Red Corridor,†impacting states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is heartbreaking. The progress mentioned in the article is good, but as long as even one jawan is getting injured, we cannot rest. The 2026 deadline seems ambitious, but I hope they achieve it for the sake of peace in these regions.
The reduction from 126 to 11 affected districts is a massive achievement, no doubt. But incidents like these show the fight is not over. These Maoists are using cowardly tactics like IEDs. Our forces need even better tech and intelligence on the ground.
My prayers are with the injured soldier and his family. It's easy for us to sit in cities and comment. We must remember the extreme conditions they operate in. Hope the airlift was successful and he recovers soon.
While the security response seems prompt, I have a respectful criticism. We hear about these IED blasts too often. Is there a gap in detection technology or patrolling patterns that needs to be addressed? We must protect our protectors better.
The Saranda forest is known to be a challenging area. The fact that they are conducting these operations shows commitment. The real solution is development - roads, schools, hospitals - to win the trust of the local tribal population and cut off support for Maoists.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.