Reds trigger blast in Bokaro, three jawans hurt

Three CRPF jawans and a civilian were injured in a landmine explosion triggered by the Maoists at Gomia police station area of Bokaro in Jharkhand on Thursday.

Three CRPF jawans and a civilian were injured in a landmine explosion triggered by the Maoists at Gomia police station area of Bokaro in Jharkhand on Thursday.

CRPF-commandant-Sanjay-Kumar-helps-a-jawan-injured-in-a-landmine-explosion-in-Bokaro-district-s-Swang-on-Thursday-Krishna-HT-Photo

According to sources, the CRPF team was travelling in a SUV towards Chulbul village from Lalpania when the rebels triggered the explosion on the metal road near Lugupahar village. “Raids have been launched to nab the rebels,” Jitendar Singh, the Bokaro superintendent of police (SP), said.

He added that the injured - Pratap Singh (32), DC Mandal (43), Surendar Kumar (32) and civilian Ranjit Kumar (20) were airlifted to Apollo Hospital in Ranchi for treatment.

Doctors said the victims suffered head injuries. The police said the landmine weighed around 25 kg. The blast formed a crater of 6 feet deep and 5 metre in radius.

After triggering the blast, the Maoists indiscriminately fired at the rescue team. A fierce gunbattle ensued for more than an hour between the rebels and the security forces.

In another incident, Maoists blew up railway tracks between Dania police station and Jogeswar Bihar railway station under the Dhanbad railway division in Bokaro district.

Polling was disrupted at a booth in Gadih High School under the Sonua police station area of West Singhbhum district after a high intensity bomb was recovered from the site.

In the early hours, the rebels triggered seven IEDs near Gamhariya village under the Pirtand police station area. However, no one was injured or killed.

“Raids have been launched in both the areas by joint security forces to arrest the Maoist cadres who carried out the blasts,” Kranti Kumar Garhdeshi, the Giridih SP, said.