Jharkhand

• 21 Sep 2024

CoBRA Battalion Soldier Injured in IED Blast

Why in News?

Recently, an IED blast injured a jawan from the CoBRA battalion during an ongoing search operation in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa (Singhbhum district).

Key Points

• Details of the Operation: The operation is targeting Maoist leader, who has a Rs. 1 crore reward announced by the State Government.
  • The search operation involving Chaibasa police, 209 CoBRA battalion, and CRPF teams is ongoing in the region to apprehend the Maoist leaders.
• COBRA: COBRA is a special operation unit of the Central Reserve Police Force of India proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare. Originally established to counter the Naxalite movement,
  • CoBRA is deployed to address insurgent groups engaging in asymmetrical warfare.
• Singhbhum district: Singhbhum district was established in 1990 when the original Singhbhum district was bifurcated into East Singhbhum (with Jamshedpur as the district headquarters) and West Singhbhum (with Chaibasa as the district headquarters).
  • In 2001, West Singhbhum was further divided, leading to the creation of the Saraikela-Kharsawan district, leaving West Singhbhum with 15 blocks and 3 sub-divisions.
  • The district is characterized by hilly terrain, steep mountains, and dense forests, including renowned Sal forests and the globally recognized Saranda forest area.
  • It is home to diverse wildlife, including elephants, bison, tigers, panthers, and various deer species, although their populations are declining near human habitation.
  • The name "Singhbhum" is believed to originate from either the Singh Rajas of Porahat or a corrupted form of "Singh Bonga," the principal deity of the local tribal population.

Improvised Explosive Device

• An improvised explosive device (IED) is a homemade bomb designed to destroy or incapacitate targets, commonly used by criminals, terrorists, and insurgents in various forms.
• IEDs can be delivered through multiple means, including vehicles, placement by individuals, or roadside concealment, and gained prominence during the Iraq War that began in 2003.