Jharkhand: Security forces are continuously carrying out operations with the goal of making Jharkhand Naxal-free. In this regard, a large-scale operation is underway against Naxalites in the dense and inaccessible forests of West Singhbhum district. However, in this difficult operation, security forces are battling not only Naxalites but also poisonous animals and natural disasters. The latest incident is from the Nurardha forest of Chotanagrah in Chaibasa, where a soldier died from a snakebite.
Sandeep Kumar, a soldier with the 209th Battalion of the Cobra, was bitten by a venomous cobra during an anti-Naxal operation in the Nurardha forest. He was immediately given first aid and was being transported to Ranchi for better treatment, but he died on the way.
The soldier died due to lightning
Earlier, on May 15, 2025, lightning struck an anti-Naxal search operation in West Singhbhum district. M. Prabo Singh, the second-in-command of the CRPF’s 26th Battalion, a native of Manipur, was martyred in the incident. Four other Jharkhand Jaguar and CRPF personnel involved in the operation—Assistant Commandant Subir Kumar Mandal, Assistant Sub-Inspector Suresh Bhagat, and Chandra Lal Hansda—were seriously injured by the lightning strike. They were airlifted and admitted to a hospital in Ranchi.
Another tragic incident occurred on April 12, 2025, when Jharkhand Jaguar soldier Sunil Dhan was martyred in an IED blast during an operation against Naxalites in the Saranda forest area. These three separate incidents have made it clear that soldiers deployed in Naxal-affected areas face constant threats to their lives—whether from Naxalite attacks, natural disasters, or the venomous creatures found in the jungle. Despite this, the security forces continue to perform their duties with utmost dedication and courage, committed to a Naxal-free Jharkhand.
