Ranchi – Two members of the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit were seriously injured in an IED explosion triggered by Maoists in West Singhbhum district’s Digha area during a combing operation on Friday.
The incident took place in thick forest terrain, where Maoist activity remains high. The injured soldiers were evacuated by air to Ranchi for urgent medical care.
Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan said anti-Maoist operations have been stepped up in the Saranda and Kolhan forest belts, where several top Maoist leaders are suspected to be hiding.
According to police, the Maoists typically plant IEDs under forest trails to ambush patrol teams, often leading to fatalities and serious injuries.
Friday’s blast comes amid a spike in Maoist violence in the region. Just two days ago, an IED explosion on the Karampada-Rengda railway line claimed the life of a railway worker. In June, another CRPF jawan died in a similar blast in Saranda.
Earlier in March, three IED blasts resulted in the death of a sub-inspector and injuries to several security personnel.
Security forces have destroyed over 12 Maoist arms dumps in the past three months, recovering significant stocks of weapons and explosives in and around Chaibasa.
With inputs from IANS