A courageous Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) head constable, Mahendra Lashkar, of the 60th Battalion has tragically lost his life in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast that occurred in the dense Saranda forest of West Singhbhum. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and despite all efforts, succumbed to his injuries on Friday night. Head Constable Lashkar hailed from Assam, and his sacrifice has cast a pall of grief over his battalion.
The explosion also injured two other personnel: Inspector Kaushal Kumar Mishra and ASI Ramkrishna Gagrai. Both are currently undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in Rourkela. Reports indicate that their conditions are now stable and out of danger. ASI Ramkrishna Gagrai is notably the brother of Kharsawan MLA Dashrath Gagrai. CRPF officials have assured that the injured personnel are receiving the best possible medical care and vowed that Head Constable Lashkar’s sacrifice would not be in vain. Following the incident, security forces have intensified their search operations in the area, pursuing Maoist elements believed to be responsible.
The IED explosion took place around 4 PM on Friday as security forces were conducting a search operation in the Naxal-affected region. The blast occurred due to a pre-planted IED by Maoists. An exchange of fire was also reported in the vicinity after the explosion. This incident is part of a disturbing trend, as the Saranda region has witnessed an increase in IED blasts over the past few months. In August, two CRPF Cobra Battalion personnel were injured in a similar blast, and in March, a sub-inspector died from injuries sustained in an IED attack. In April, a Jharkhand Jaguar jawan was also martyred in an IED explosion.
.jpeg "Featured Image")
