A pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), killed a teenage girl and injured two other women in an area under Peshrar Police Station limits in Lohardaga District of Jharkhand on December 24, reports Pioneer. The deceased has been identified as Jamuna Oraon (16), who inadvertently stepped on the IED and died on the spot in the explosion. Two injured women have been identified as – Sangeeta Oraon and Rouni Kumari. As per the Police, the Maoists have been planting pressure IEDs to target security forces in rural areas. Their move, however, is causing civilian casualties as the IEDs are easily triggered by the body weight of villagers who go to forests to gather wood. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Priyadarshi Alok said, “Maoists target Security Forces and not civilians. But their recent moves have caused many civilian casualties. They may have planted the IED during the polls to target Security Forces (SFs), and the girl became a victim”.
Meanwhile, Maoists set ablaze a poclain machine and a couple of hyvas dumper truckin Chatra District, reports UNI on December 24. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhilesh P. Beriyer said that the armed Maoists hailing from Kauleshwari zone executed the incident in desperation and a special team has been formed to arrest those involved in the incident.
Separately, two cadres of CPI-Maoist were arrested along with weapons by Khunti Police from Kumbuduhutub forest area under Arki Police Station limits in Khunti District on December 24, reports Dainik Bhaskar. The arrested duo has been identified as Asai Munda alias Sanika Munda and Raja Munda. The Superintendent of Police (SP), Ashutosh Shekhar said on receiving input that the absconding Maoist, Asay Munda along with his comrades had gathered in the said forest. Following which, SFs arrested them and two native kattas and 8 bullets have also been recovered from their possession.