KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, April 28: A middle-aged woman was killed in an IED blast at a forest stretch under Goelkera thana area in West Singhbhum, about 160 kms away from here on Friday morning.
Identified as Gangi Surin, the victim was a resident of Patahatu village in Goelkera and the incident took place when she had ventured into the naxal-hit forest stretch known as Marigiri jungle for fetching firewood.
According to sources, it was one of the pressure IEDs that the naxals have planted at the peripheral of the Marigiri jungle and as the victim stepped into the jungle the device exploded, causing her to die instantly.
Though the local villagers have informed about the incident to the police, no police party has reached the spot till the afternoon.
According to sources, a contingent of CRPF has already left for Marigiri jungle, considered to be strategically important destination for carrying out any anti-insurgency operation.
West Singhbhum SP Ashutosh Shekhar could not be contacted for his comment.
About half-a-dozen villagers have been killed caused by IED blasts in the naxal-seiged Kolhan and Porahat forest divisions under which Goelkera falls since January this year after a big squad of CPI-Maoist rebels has sneaked into there following planted innumerable IEDs in that forest cover.
