A member of the specialised force of CRPF was killed and another member injured after an IED blast triggered by a Maoist faction led by CPI-Maoist politburo member Misir Besra in Tonto police station area in West Singhbhum district on Thursday afternoon, police said.

According to West Singhbhum SP Ashutosh Shekhar, during the combing operation against Maoist groups in the Sarjamburu and Tumbahaka forest/hills region in the Tonto area on Thursday, three IED blasts were triggered by the Maoist faction led by Besra (carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore) and other rebels.

“Two members of CoBRA (commando battalion for resolute action, a specialised force of CRPF trained in guerrilla/jungle warfare type operations) identified as Rajesh Kumar, 29, and Bhupender Kumar, 40, were injured and airlifted to a private hospital in Ranchi for better treatment. During the course of treatment, Rajesh died of excessive bleeding. While the condition of Bhupender is stable,” said Shekhar.

According to official sources in Bhagwan Mahavir Medica Superspeciality Hospital, Ranchi, where the jawans were treated, both legs of Rajesh were badly damaged. While Bhupender had suffered injuries in the arm region.

The West Singhbhum superintendent of police, however, said that the security forces will not be deterred but continue with their combing and search operation against the rebels.

“We will continue with our operation against rebel forces who are mostly concentrated in the Tonto area led by their senior leaders. The operation is assisted by the CoBRA battalion and different battalions of CRPF. On Thursday we recovered two IEDs, 31 spike holes and 250 spikes (rods),” said Shekhar.

Spike holes are holes dug in forests and contain arrows made of iron rods to cause harm to security personnel. These spikes have the capability to pierce through the feet of people. Two CRPF personnel and two Jharkhand police special forces jawans have been killed by rebels in the West Singhbhum district this year.