Jharkhand: CRPF Head Constable dies in IED blast in Saranda forest, two injured

West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) [India], October 11 (ANI): A CRPF personnel lost his life while two personnel were injured in the two IED blasts in the Saranda forest area, police said on Saturday.
Head Constable Mahendra Laskar, a resident of Assam, succumbed to his injuries.
In the Saranda forest area under the Jaraikela police station in Chaibasa, CRPF personnel from the 60th Battalion, including an inspector, an ASI and a head constable, were injured in two IED blasts. The injured were taken to Rourkela for treatment. Head Constable Mahendra Laskar (a resident of Assam) lost his life in the incident, Jharkhand Police said.
Police said that anti-naxal operations are underway.
Earlier, last week in Bastar, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah made an appeal to the youth to "shun the path of violence" while advising against joining the Naxal movement. Stating that Naxalism didn't benefit anyone, Shah urged the youth to join the mainstream and assured development works worth Rs 1 crore for villages that become Naxal-free."
I wanted to appeal to people to ask the youth, who are misled and join Naxalism, to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream. Once the village is free from the Naxal issue, Rs 1 crore will be allocated to them for developmental works," Shah said.
He said that Naxalism has not benefited anyone, while informing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has introduced various schemes in honour of Adivasis. "On behalf of PM Modi, I want to assure that after March 31, 2026, Naxals will not be able to obstruct development," Shah added.
Addressing the demands to hold talks with the Naxals, Shah said that there was nothing to discuss since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the centre and in Chhattisgarh was dedicated to developing the entire Naxal-affected region, including Bastar.
The Union Home Minister warned against "disrupting the peace" in Bastar and said that the state machinery will respond strongly.
He added that March 31, 2026, has been fixed to bid farewell to Naxalism from the soil of this country." Some people talk about talks (with Naxals) but I want to make it clear once again: both our governments, the Chhattisgarh government and the central government, are dedicated to the development of Bastar and the entire Naxalite region.
What is there to talk about? We have formulated a very lucrative surrender policy. Come, lay down your arms. If you take up arms and try to disrupt the peace of Bastar, our armed forces, the CRPF, and the Chhattisgarh police will respond. March 31, 2026, has been fixed to bid farewell to Naxalism from the soil of this country," Shah said. (ANI)