A 35-year-old man was killed and his son suffered injuries when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded in a village in the Kolhan forest range of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district.

Matka Koda, a resident of Mundasai village, had gone to the forest with his son to collect wood on Friday evening. While picking wood Koda’s legs accidentally fell on IED leading to the blast. Both legs of Koda were blown away and he died on the spot. His son had managed to escape from the blast site and was rescued by CRPF personnel at the Rengda camp.

Koda’s body lay for the entire night in the forest as the police were hesitant to rush to the site as the area has been planted with IEDs by the Maoists.

The injured child is being treated at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital.

Ashutosh Shekhar, superintendent of police, said this was the sixth civilian death due to IED blasts in the district while an equal number of persons have suffered injuries in similar blasts across districts. While 22 security personnel have suffered injuries due to IED blasts. A calf also died in the IED blast earlier this week at the same

There has been no casualty from the security forces in the IED blast.