Forest fire has triggered several landmines explosions in Palamu Tiger Reserve area of Latehar and Palamu district, fire officials said. They said that there are several landmines planted by the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) group to cause casualties and damages to security forces are exploding due to heat.
The fire is still ranging and efforts are on to control it, the officials said, adding that there was no report of any casualties. But, the spate of such fire incidents is leading to migration of wildlife from one space to another in search of a safer place. The forest fire incidents have been reported from Garu – east range of reserve and Kutku range the North division of reserve.
Deputy Director South division of the Palamu Tiger Reserve Mukesh Kumar said, “The forest fire occurs as westerly winds gain momentum. This forest fire starts from February/March and continues till the onset of monsoon. However, compared to previous years this year there has been a spate in fire incidents. The director also said that due to landmines laid by Left Wing Extremist increases the chances of forest fires.”
He said the landmines burst when the forest bushes where these land mines are hidden beneath the ground catch fire. Referring to one incident Kumar said one landmine burst during the forest fire at Gopakhar under the Garu east range of the tiger reserve.
He also said that forest officials, who are expert in dousing fire can deal with forest fire with surface fire, but become helpless and scared when landmines laid by extremist groups.
The official said that as per the satellite images sent by forest survey of India there are reports of 200 fire alerts. The official added that with 26 fire blowers and dedicated team fire was put under control but the burnt space leaves a dark side of the burning episode.
Meanwhile, Latehar SP Prashant Anand has asked LWE activists to stop using IEDs as it is a cowardly act. Anand said that the Latehar police have launched a poster campaign against the use of the land mines which take the toll of innocent human lives for no fault of their own.
The Latehar police’s observation assumes importance as several security forces have lost their lives due to IED blasts triggered by LWE activists in the past few months.
In January this year a woman was killed and three people injured in a landmine blast by Maoists at a forest on the border between Latehar and Gumla districts.
Three jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar (JJ) Special Assault Group-11, a special unit of the state police department, were killed and four others were injured in a landmine blast by the banned CPI (Maoist) in Langi jungle atop Langi hills under Toklo police station (PS) in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand last month.