26 jawans hurt in Maoist blasts

Ranchi, May 28

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Twenty-six security personnel, including CoBRA battalion of the CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar and the state police, were injured in a series of IED blasts triggered by Maoists in Saraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand this morning.

The injured were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment. The condition of five jawans was said to be critical. The blasts occurred while a team of the CoBRA battalion, the police and Jharkhand Jaguar were carrying out anti-Naxal operations in the Kuchai forest of the district.

ADG, Naxal operations, Muralilal Meena said: “During the anti-Naxal operations in Kuchai forest of Saraikela-Kharsawan, 26 jawans of 209 battalion of CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar and the state police were injured after Maoists triggered a series of IED blasts. The injured were airlifted to Ranchi.”

The area was cordoned off and an anti-Naxal operation was launched at the blast site. “The Maoists might have planted IEDs to carry out serial blasts during the recently held Lok Sabha poll, but these did not go off during that period. Now, the blasts occurred during the search operation,” said Jharkhand DGP DK Pandey. Naxal commander Anal, alias Patiram Manjhi, had allegedly planted IEDs at several places during the election period, he claimed. — TNS