15 security personnel injured in IED blasts in Jharkhand, two critical

Fifteen security personnel were injured when Maoists triggered a series of IED blasts near Hurda forests in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharsawan district in the early hours of Tuesday, a police officer said.

The blasts took place around 5 am when a joint team of the CRPF's special jungle warfare unit, CoBRA, and the police was carrying out anti-Naxal operations in the forests of Kuchai area in the district, he said. "Fifteen security men were injured when the Maoists triggered as many IED blasts. Two of the 15 injured are in a serious condition," Inspector General of Police (Operation) Ashish Batra said.

The injured troops, 13 belonging to the CRPF's CoBRA battalion and the rest of the Jharkhand Armed Police and the district police, were airlifted to Ranchi, another senior officer said.
The area has been cordoned off and a search operation is on to nab the culprits, he added.

"IEDs were installed by Naxals to affect the election process. A joint op by CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar and Jharkhand Police is being done to clear the area. Anti-personnel mine was triggered by Naxals today. ," said DK Pandey, DGP Jharkhand.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)