Jharkhand: Three CRPF Jawans Injured In IED Blast By Maoists, 51 Explosives Recovered

The IED exploded when security forces launched a search operation upon receiving a tip-off on the presence of Maoist leaders.

A CRPF personnel, injured in an IED blast during an anti-Maoist search operation, being taken to hospital after being airlifted

Three CRPF personnel were injured in an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Thursday, PTI reported. After the incident, a search operation was launched and 51 IEDs were recovered at a forest near Meralgada village in Goilkera police station area, said Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar.

A bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot and the explosives were defused, the SP said.

Earlier in the day, acting on a tip-off that top Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra, who is carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head, were having a meeting at the forest, security forces launched a search operation during which an IED exploded. 

Three CRPF jawans of the 60th battalion -- Rakesh Pathak, BD Anal and Pankaj Yadav -- were injured in the explosion and were airlifted to a hospital in Ranchi.

SP Shekhar said the conditions of the three jawans were stable.

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The incident comes days after a gunfight broke out between the police and Maoists belonging to the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) on Sunday in the Budhmu police station area of Ranchi.

Police said that four extremists were injured in the gunfight, but they managed to escape, IANS reported During the search operation, the police recovered 777 rifle cartridges, seven walkie-talkies and many other items from the area.

On January 19, a similar clash between the security forces and TSPC took place in Palamu district of Jharkhand. In the encounter that occurred in the Manatu police station area of the district, 60 to 70 rounds were fired by both the sides.

Earlier this month, Maoists triggered an IED blast in Sarjan Buru forest under the Tonto police station of Chaibasa. Three jawans of CRPF's elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) got injured in the incident and were airlifted to Ranchi.