CPI (Maoist) rebels triggered an IED blast killing three jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar, State’s Special Task Force, and seriously injuring two others. The blast took place at Lanji jungle under Toklo police station area in West Singhbhum district bordering Khunti district on Thursday morning. The injured have been air-lifted to Ranchi for treatment.
Those who were killed were identified as Hardwar Shah (of Palamau), Kiran Surin (Simdega) and head constable Devendra Kumar Pandit (Godda), all belonging to Jharkhand Jaguar Assault Group-11. The injured were identified as Deep Topno (Khunti) and Nikku Oraon (Latehar), who are also of the Jharkhand Jaguar Assault Group-11. Soon after the incident, all the five jawans were air-lifted to Ranchi, where Shah and Surin were declared as brought dead. After a little while, Pandit succumbed to his injuries.
Police and jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar Assault Group were carrying out an anti-insurgency operation at Lanji jungle under Toklo police station area which falls in the Chakradharpur subdivision of the district about 8.30 am.
Soon after the blast, an encounter between the police and naxals began, which continued for two hours. The State police and Jharkhand Jaguar jawans started a combing operation in the area.
Soon after the incident DIG Kolhan Rajiv Ranjan Singh; SP, West Singhbhum, Ajay Linda and other senior police officials rushed to the spot of the incident.
“The IED blast took place at Lanji jungle during an anti-insurgency operation there by the police and Jharkhand Jaguar,” said the DIG, Kolhan. He went on to inform that an encounter followed between the forces and the naxals.
Police sources claimed that rebels had also faced damage in the encounter and at least two Naxals were killed in the retaliatory firing by the security forces. They have either sustained grievous injuries or have died and their body taken away to hide evidence.
It may be mentioned here that the CPI-Maoist’s squads of Anal and Maharaj Pramanik are active in the Toklo police station area, bordering West Singhbhum, Khunti and adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawn district.
An encounter between the naxals and CRPF had taken place at the same Lanji jungle in February.
“Security has been beefed up in the area and they were keeping strict vigil on movement of the Naxalites. The plan is to keep a tab on the camps being operated by ultras,” said another official.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Hemant Soren paid tributes to the martyred jawans and said that their martyrdom will not go waste. The CM, alongwith senior officials of the State government laid wreath on the bodies of the soldiers and consoled their family members.
He also appealed to the deviated youths of the State to join mainstream society or face consequences.
