In a heart-breaking incident, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer died after being struck by lightning amid a counter-insurgency operation against Maoists in the Saranda forest region of Chaibasa, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand.
The lightning strike occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, during a period of intense rainfall in the West Singhbhum district.
The victim, 46-year-old M Prabo Singh, who served as the second-in-command of the CRPF’s 26th battalion, sustained critical injuries from the strike and passed away on Friday while undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital. Singh, originally from Manipur, had only recently been deployed to Jharkhand.
Three other members of the joint task force were also seriously injured in the same incident. They included CRPF Assistant Commandant Subir Mandal and Jharkhand Jaguar Assistant Sub-Inspectors Sudesh and Chandlal Hansda.
The four were part of a combined CRPF and Jharkhand Police unit conducting operations in the Maoist-dominated Baliba forest region.
According to sources, the lightning hit while the team was on the move. Fellow personnel, alerted by their cries for help, rushed to the scene and found the injured officers lying unconscious.
The victims were initially taken to a hospital in Paralakhemundi, and those in serious condition were later transferred to MKCG Hospital for further treatment.
Locals said that the forest serves as a stronghold for Maoist leaders and is heavily laced with improvised explosive devices (IEDs), aimed at deterring security forces. Since operations intensified in November 2022, six security officers have died and about 20 others have been severely injured due to explosions. Additionally, nearly 22 civilians have lost their lives in IED-related blasts in the same region.
Despite the hazardous conditions, officials confirmed that security forces remain committed to their mission, having already set up multiple temporary bases in Maoist-controlled zones. The ongoing operation was launched following intelligence inputs indicating that high-ranking Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra and Patiram Majhi alias Anal Da, are hiding in the critical Kolhan forest area.
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