In a tragic incident, a tribal woman was killed on Wednesday when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists detonated in a forested area of the region. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning when the woman, identified as Gangi Surin, was on her way to collect firewood.
The middle-aged woman was killed in an IED blast at a forest stretch under Goelkera police station area in West Singhbhum, on Friday morning.
According to sources, the IED was planted by Maoists insurgents who are active in the area. The blast was so powerful that it killed the woman on the spot and caused significant damage to the surrounding area. The police have launched an investigation into the incident and are trying to identify those responsible for the attack.
Local residents have expressed their shock and grief over the incident, with many condemning the Maoist insurgency and calling for an end to the violence. The incident highlights the ongoing threat of Maoist insurgency in the region and the need for greater efforts to address the root causes of the conflict.
Identified as Gangi Surin, the victim was a resident of Patahatu village in Goiekera and the incident took place when she had ventured into the naxal-hit forest stretch known as Marigiri jungle for fetching firewood.
According to sources, it was one of the pressure IEDs that the naxals have planted at the periphery of the Marigiri jungle and as the victim stepped into the jungle the device exploded.
According to sources, a contingent of CRPF has already left for Marigiri jungle, considered to be a strategically important destination for carrying out any anti-insurgency operation.
About half-a-dozen villagers have been killed caused by IED blasts in the naxal-sieged Kolhan and Porahat forest divisions under which Goelkera falls since January this year after a big squad of CPI-Maoist rebels has sneaked into there following planted innumerable IEDs in that forest cover.
Local authorities have responded by increasing police and military presence in the area, setting up checkpoints and roadblocks, and conducting search operations to locate any other potential threats. Intelligence gathering efforts have also been intensified to identify the perpetrators of the attack and prevent future incidents.
The blast has raised concerns about the security situation in the region, which has seen an increase in violence in recent months. Officials have vowed to take all necessary measures to restore peace and security to the area, and have appealed to the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in their efforts to combat terrorism and other forms of violence.
