A 58-year-old woman, identified as Randaya Purti (58), was killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast that took place in the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)-infested jungles of Kolhan near Maradiri village under the Goelkera Police Station limits in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on February 15, reports The New Indian Express. Randaya Purti had gone to collect firewood from the Kolhan jungles near Maradiri village when she stepped over an IED planted by the Maoists and got killed in the IED blast. The Maoists had distributed pamphlets in the villages adjacent to the Kolhan jungles, warning the villagers not to enter deep into the jungles as they had planted IEDs there to check on Security Forces (SFs) entering the jungles. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by SFs in the region, as Maoists resort to using IEDs such as Pressure Cooker Modified Nitrate Mixture (PMNK) to target both security personnel and civilians.
In a collaborative effort, the Chaibasa Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jharkhand Jaguar (JJ) formed a joint operation team to counter the subversive activities of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) and recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that were previously planted by Maoists in the forested and hilly areas around Vanagram Husipi under the Trenta area in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on February 16, reports The Avenue Mail. During the operation, Security Forces (SFs) identified an old temporary Maoist camp in the forested area near Sandiburu village, capable of accommodating approximately 20 to 25 individuals, which was promptly demolished by the SFs. During the operation, various old items from the Maoist camp and materials for making IEDs were recovered, along with other daily-use materials.
The intensive three-day anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] search operation, known as ‘Vijay’, conducted in the thick jungles near the foothills of Jhumra and Luggu in Gomia Block in Bokaro District of Jharkhand, has concluded, reports The Times of India on February 17. Security Forces (SFs) have completed their thorough search of the area and have now returned to their base, having recovered a cache of ammunition and other items used by a fleeing Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) squad. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Priyadarshi Alok, "Two FIRs have been lodged against zonal commander Birsen and 12–14 cadres of his squad for engaging in gunfire with security personnel. These FIRs have been lodged at the Chatrochatti and Jageshwar Vihar police stations within the Gomia block."