An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast occurred once again during an intensive anti-Naxal search operation in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, leaving a jawan of the elite CoBRA 209 battalion seriously injured.
The incident took place on Sunday near Baliba village, located deep inside the forest under the Chotanagra police station area.
The explosion was triggered when COBRA 209 personnel were carrying out a search operation in the Baliba forest region. The IED, which had been planted earlier by Naxals, detonated suddenly during the operation.
In the blast, a COBRA jawan, identified as Alakh Das, sustained serious injuries, though official confirmation regarding his identity is still awaited.
Following the explosion, panic spread among the security forces in the area. Fellow jawans immediately rushed to his aid and administered first aid on the spot.
Arrangements are being made to airlift the injured jawan to Ranchi for advanced medical treatment. Senior officials were informed about the incident.
Sources said the operation was part of an ongoing drive to locate and defuse old IEDs planted by Naxals in the Saranda region. These hidden explosives, laid earlier with the intent to target security personnel, continue to pose a major threat in the dense forest areas.
After the blast, security forces cordoned off the entire area, intensified vigilance and further strengthened the search operation to prevent any additional incidents.
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