CRPF jawan killed, 1 injured in blast during anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand

A CRPF personnel was killed and another was injured in a blast in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Saturday, police said.

The IED blast took place around 2.30 pm near Vangram Marangponga forest in Chotanagra police station area when an anti-Naxal operation was under way, they said.

The Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by Maoists to target security forces exploded during a search operation, Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said.

CRPF personnel Sunil Kumar Mandal and Partha Pratim Dey were injured in the blast, he said.

They were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment, he added.

“Mandal, a sub-inspector in CRPF’s 193 battalion, succumbed to his injury during treatment,” Shekhar said.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the death of the CRPF personnel.

"Sad news has been received about the death of CRPF jawan Sunil Kumar Mandal ji, who was injured in the IED blast in Chaibasa, during treatment. May Marang Buru grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family members to bear this hour of sorrow," he posted on X.

Soren also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured personnel.