A heart-wrenching event has occurred in the Tilaposi forest of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, where a 10-year-old tribal girl lost her life in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. The tragic incident, attributed to Maoist activity, happened on Tuesday. According to police reports, the young girl had ventured into the forest to gather Sial leaves when she inadvertently stepped on an underground IED. Authorities have stated that the device was likely intended for security forces, but tragically, the innocent child became its victim.
The police are preparing to petition the state government for compensation for the bereaved family, following established provisions for victims of Maoist violence. The victim has been identified as Siria Herenz, daughter of Jai Masih Herenz, a resident of Digha village. She was among several children who had gone to the forest while school was closed for the Chhath festival. The blast caused severe injuries to both of her legs. Her body was recovered by the police and CRPF personnel and has been sent for a post-mortem examination before being handed over to her family.