PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, May 12: A Jharkhand police jawan, Manoj Kumar Damai, sustained critical injuries in an IED blast triggered by Naxals on Monday during a joint anti-Maoist operation in the Chotanagara police station limits of West Singhbhum district.
Damai was part of a joint combing team comprising the CRPF’s CoBRA battalion, Jharkhand Jaguar, and state police forces.
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The operation was launched based on intelligence about the presence of top Maoist leader Anil, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore. While navigating through dense forest terrain, Damai inadvertently stepped on a hidden explosive device, resulting in a powerful blast that left him seriously wounded.
He received immediate medical attention at the site before being airlifted to Ranchi for advanced treatment at a private hospital.
The West Singhbhum police confirmed that the anti-Naxal operation remains ongoing in the region.
This latest attack is part of a string of similar incidents in the area. On April 12, police jawan Sunil Dhan died following injuries from an IED explosion, while three CoBRA commandos were wounded in another blast in March in the Jeraikela region.
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Security Forces Step Up Operations in Maoist Hotspots
In recent weeks, security forces have intensified their offensive, demolishing 11 major Naxal bunkers in the Babudera area of Chaibasa.
According to police sources, several senior Maoist leaders—including Misir Besra, Anmol, Mochu, Anil, Asim Mandal, Ajay Mahato, Sagen Angaria, and Ashwin—are still believed to be active in the dense Saranda and Kolhan forest zones, where search and combing operations continue.
