A 10-year-old tribal girl lost her life after an improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been planted by Naxals went off in Jharkhand on Tuesday. The blast occurred in West Singhbhum district when the girl went with some villagers to the Saranda forest to collect firewood and leaves.
The tragic incident took place as the Central government continues to strengthen its anti-Naxal operations, aiming to eliminate Naxalism from India by March 31, 2026.
What happened during the blast?
The victim was identified as Siriya Herenj, a Class 3 student at Digha Primary School. According to sources, she had gone to the forest with a group of villagers around 7 a.m. on Tuesday. A sudden and powerful explosion shook the forest, covering the area in thick smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the villagers noticed Siriya was missing. After a desperate search, they found her body nearby. The villagers carried her remains on a wooden stretcher back to Digha village. Later, the body was taken to Chakradharpur for a post-mortem examination.
Why are villagers living in fear now?
The explosion site is only about 3 km from a CRPF camp. Security forces believe the Naxalites planted several IEDs in the forest to target patrol teams. These explosives have put villagers’ lives at great risk and have even killed animals that move through the area.
Local residents said they are now too scared to go into the forest to gather wood and leaves, which is their main source of income. After the tragic incident, security forces have stepped up anti-Naxal operations in the region.
