COBRA jawan airlifted after encounter

A security jawan was air-lifted to Ranchi after he suffered critical injury during an encounter with Maoists in Tebo jungle in Naxal-hit West Singhbhum district, police said.

"COBRA battalion jawan Santosh Kumar Singh, who suffered an injury in the upper chest during the encounter with Maoists, has been air-lifted to Ranchi for treatment," DIG (Kolhan) Arun Kumar Singh, said.

Singh said the encounter, which began at 9 AM during a routine long-range patrolling in Maoist-hit areas of the district, is on. The security personnel retaliated when the rebels started firing on seeing them approaching.