A paramilitary trooper belonging to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was killed and four others wounded Sunday in a gunfight with Naxals in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand, police said.
The gunfight broke out inside Taldangal forest area in Dumka district, about 285 km northeast of Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand.
“Early today a gunfight broke out inside Taldangal forest area between Naxals and a joint team comprising of SSB personnel and police, during which five SSB personnel were wounded,” superintendent of police Dumka, Y S Ramesh said. “The injured personnel were immediately removed to hospital, where one of them was declared brought dead.”
Ramesh said they had reports that four to five Naxals were hit with bullets during the stand-off and a search operation was underway in the area.
According to police, of the critically wounded, one SSB person had been airlifted to Ranchi, while others were being treated at the Dumka district hospital.
Police said the SSB team and police initiated a search operation in the area following intelligence information about camping of Naxals inside the forests.
On Tuesday, 11 government force personnel — eight Central Reserve Police Force personnel and three policemen were wounded, after Naxals triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting them in Kuchai area of Saraikela Kharsawan district.
New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.
The insurgency reportedly has claimed more than 6,000 lives and rendered thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.
