West Singhbhum is mourning the loss of CRPF Head Constable Mahendra Lashkar, a member of the 60th Battalion, who succumbed to injuries sustained in an IED explosion within the dense Saranda forest on Friday. The martyred jawan, originally from Assam, was admitted to the hospital in a critical state but passed away on Friday night. His unit is in deep mourning over his untimely demise.
Two other CRPF personnel, Inspector Kaushal Kumar Mishra and ASI Ramkrishna Gagrai, were also injured in the blast. They are currently hospitalized at Apollo Hospital in Rourkela and are reported to be out of immediate danger. ASI Gagrai is the brother of Kharsawan MLA Dashrath Gagrai. Authorities have affirmed that the injured personnel are receiving comprehensive medical care and that the sacrifice made by Constable Lashkar will be honored. Security forces have launched a massive search operation in the aftermath of the attack to capture the Maoist perpetrators responsible for the IED.
The IED detonated around 4 PM on Friday during a search and destroy mission in a known Naxal-infested zone. Maoist insurgents are suspected of planting the device. Following the explosion, there were reports of a brief encounter in the area. The Saranda region has unfortunately become a hotspot for IED-related violence in recent months, with incidents including the injury of two CRPF Cobra commandos in August, the death of a sub-inspector in March, and the martyrdom of a Jharkhand Jaguar soldier in April.