Woman killed, two others injured in IED blast in Jharkhand's Chaibasa
Chaibasa (PTI): A woman was killed and two others were injured in an IED blast in Jharkhand's West Singbhum district on Friday evening, police said.
The improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in the Saranda forest under the Jeraikela Police Station area, a senior officer said.
"A group of women had gone to the Kolbhonga area in the forest to pluck 'sial' (silk cotton tree) leaves, and one of them stepped on the IED planted by Maoists, and the device went off," West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police Amit Renu told PTI.
One of them died while two others were injured, the SP said.
"The injured are being treated at the Manoharpur hospital, and their condition is reported to be stable. If the need arises, we will shift them to another hospital for better treatment," Renu said.
The SP termed this act as a "sign of desperation by the Maoists" due to the intensive combing operation being carried out against them by the security forces.
Police sources said that three women from Kolbhonga village had gone in the afternoon to pluck 'sial' leaves, and when they were returning home, Phoolon Dhanwar (18), one of the women, accidentally stepped on the IED, resulting in the blast, which led to her death on the spot.
Two other women, Salami Kundalna (28) and Barsi Dhanwar (35), were also injured, the sources said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Manoharpur Jaydeep Lakra said the body of Dhanwar would be sent for post-mortem examination to the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital on Saturday, as the blast took place in dense forest.
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Former Assam Cong chief Bhupen Borah joins BJP
Guwahati (PTI): Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah on Sunday joined the ruling BJP in the presence of its state unit president Dilip Saikia here.
Borah became a BJP member during a function held at the Assam BJP headquarters 'Vajpayee Bhawan'.
Along with him, former Congress worker Sanju Bora, too, joined the saffron party.
Borah had resigned on February 16, with the Congress high command not accepting it and senior leaders rushing to his residence, while Rahul Gandhi also spoke to him.
He had asked for time to reconsider his decision, but the next day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma went to his residence and announced that he would join the BJP on February 22.
The 126-member Assam assembly is expected to go to polls in March-April.
#WATCH | Guwahati, Assam | Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah joins the BJP in the presence of State BJP President Dilip Saikia, BJP MP Baijayant Panda. pic.twitter.com/VIJcIa2xJ8
— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2026
