A solemn day in New Delhi marked the passing of a 58-year-old CRPF Inspector at AIIMS hospital. His death, on Thursday, October 30, 2025, came tragically 20 days after he sustained critical injuries in a devastating Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast orchestrated by Maoists in Jharkhand.
The brave officer, identified as Inspector Koushal Kumar Mishra, had suffered severe injuries to his left leg. The incident occurred on October 10 during a crucial anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, as confirmed by a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official.
Hailing from Bihar, Inspector Mishra was airlifted from Jharkhand to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on October 11, where he had been receiving intensive medical care. Despite the best efforts of medical teams, he sadly passed away in the early hours of October 30.
At the time of the blast, Inspector Mishra, a dedicated member of the CRPF’s 60th battalion, was courageously leading a patrol through the dense North Saranda forests of West Singhbhum district.
This same tragic incident also injured two other personnel. Heartbreakingly, Constable Mahendra Laskar, 45, who hailed from Assam, had also succumbed to his injuries a day later, on October 11.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) continue to pose the most significant threat to our security forces operating in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected zones. This remains true even as the Maoist insurgency shows signs of decline, and despite the Union Government’s ambitious declaration to eradicate this menace from the country by March 2026.