IED Blast in Saranda Forest Claims Life of 10-Year-Old Tribal Girl
Child collecting leaves dies in Saranda jungle blast.
A 10-year-old tribal girl, Siria Herenj, was blown to pieces Tuesday morning by a Maoist-planted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) deep inside Jharkhand’s notorious Saranda forests, exposing the deadly peril civilians face in Asia’s largest sal woodland turned insurgent minefield.
The innocent victim, daughter of Jai Masi Herenj from Digha village, had ventured into the dense jungle near Jaraikela police limits around 10 a.m. to gather sial leaves for household use when she triggered the pressure-activated device. The blast severed both legs, killing her instantly. Security personnel who rushed to the site recovered only her mutilated remains from the blood-soaked forest floor.
West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police Amit Renu condemned the attack as “cowardice at its worst,” confirming the girl succumbed before evacuation. “This was a routine chore for forest-dependent families; Maoists have turned survival into suicide,” he told reporters. An immediate combing operation has been launched, with CRPF and Jharkhand Police intensifying patrols across the 800-square-kilometer red zone.
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Saranda, once cleared of Maoists, has become their last stronghold in Jharkhand, sheltering an estimated 60-65 cadres including top commander Misir Besra (Rs 1 crore bounty). Since the joint anti-Maoist offensive began in November 2022, over 1,000 IEDs have been neutralized, yet thousands remain buried—claiming 22 civilian lives, 6 security personnel, and injuring dozens more. Tuesday’s tragedy marks the youngest civilian casualty in the ongoing campaign.
With Maoists cornered and desperate, authorities warn villagers against entering core jungle areas without escorts. The incident has reignited demands for accelerated de-mining and rehabilitation of displaced tribal families, as Saranda’s iron-ore rich soil continues to bleed innocent blood in a war far removed from its silent victims.
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