Assam’s CRPF constable dies from injuries in Jharkhand Maoist IED blasts

Guwahati, Oct 11: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Head Constable from Assam, Mahendra Laskar, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday following twin improvised explosive device (IED) blasts triggered by Maoists in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, police officials confirmed.

The blasts occurred on Friday evening in the Babudih area under the Jaraikela Police Station limits, located within the dense Saranda forest, one of Jharkhand’s most Maoist-affected regions. The explosions injured Head Constable Laskar along with an inspector and an assistant sub-inspector of the CRPF.

“Head Constable Mahendra Laskar died during the course of treatment at a hospital in Rourkela, Odisha,” the Jharkhand Police Headquarters said in an official statement. The two other injured personnel are currently receiving medical care and are reported to be stable.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the IEDs were planted by cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist), who are observing their annual ‘Resistance Week’ across Jharkhand. The outfit has also called for a statewide bandh on October 15, prompting security agencies to heighten their alertness.

Police believe the explosions were aimed at targeting security forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the region.

Following the attack, security measures across Jharkhand have been significantly intensified. According to Inspector General (Operations) Michael Raj, twelve battalions of the CRPF, along with twenty units of the Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) and the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), have been deployed to reinforce counter-insurgency operations and ensure the safety of personnel in the affected zones.

The latest incident underscores the continued threat posed by Maoist insurgents in Jharkhand’s forested areas, even as security forces maintain aggressive combing and area-domination exercises to curb extremist activities.
PTI