Jharkhand News : The ongoing encounter between security forces and Maoists in the dense Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district escalated further on Wednesday. In the forest area between Baliba and Chadradera under the Chotanagra police station limits, five security personnel, including Cobra Battalion 205 Inspector Satya Prakash, were injured.
According to information, security forces had received intelligence inputs about the presence of notorious Maoist leader Misir Besra and his squad in the area. Based on this input, a joint team of police, CRPF, and Cobra Battalion launched a search operation. During the operation, the forces came face-to-face with Maoists, triggering intense gunfire from both sides.
During the encounter, Inspector Satya Prakash was injured in an IED blast allegedly planted by Maoists. Other injured personnel include Jitendra Rai, Uttam Kumar Senapati, Shailesh Kumar Dubey, and Prem, who sustained bullet injuries. Shailesh Kumar Dubey suffered injuries to the neck, Uttam Kumar Senapati to the hand, while others were injured in the legs.
All the injured personnel were first evacuated from the forest on motorcycles and then airlifted by helicopter to Ranchi for medical treatment due to the difficult terrain. A rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident.
Sources suggest that Maoists may have also suffered significant losses due to retaliatory action by the security forces. However, due to dense forest cover and darkness, there has been no official confirmation of recovered bodies or weapons so far.
Following the encounter, the entire Chadradera and surrounding forest areas have been cordoned off by security forces. Additional units of Jharkhand Police, CRPF, and Cobra Battalion have been deployed, and intensive search operations are underway along possible escape routes.
The district police headquarters is continuously monitoring the operation. Officials stated that the campaign against Maoists will be intensified further to make the Saranda region completely free of extremism. Superintendent of Police Amit Renu confirmed the encounter and said that detailed information about the injured and Maoists is still awaited.
