AGENCIES / RANCHI

Thirteen personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force and the state police were injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand in the wee hours today.

The blast took place around 5 am when a joint team of the CRPF’s special jungle warfare unit, CoBRA, and the state police were carrying out a joint operation in the forests of Kuchai area in the district.

The joint team was being led by the 209th battalion of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force deployed in the state for anti-Naxal operations.

The area has been cordoned off and a search operation is on to nab the culprits.