Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 9: A CRPF sniffer dog was killed and its handler injured on Saturday after a hidden IED planted by Naxalites exploded during an anti-insurgency operation in the dense Saranda forest, one of Jharkhand’s most sensitive Left-Wing extremism zones.
The incident occurred when a CRPF team was conducting a routine area-domination and sanitisation exercise.
The dog squad was leading the patrol when the explosive device, buried beneath a forest track, detonated.
The trained sniffer dog died on the spot, while the dog handler sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby medical facility. His condition is stated to be stable.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an intensified search to trace the Maoists involved in the planting of the explosive.
Saranda, Asia’s largest sal forest, has seen a surge in IED-related attacks as Naxal groups increasingly rely on these concealed traps to target security patrols.
CRPF officials paid tribute to the fallen service dog, noting that its alertness and sacrifice likely prevented greater loss of life.
Senior officers reaffirmed their commitment to continued operations aimed at dismantling Naxal influence in the region.
