IEDs, K9s & A Lost Leg: The Untold Story Of A CoBRA Officer On Life-Altering Anti-Naxal Operation

New Delhi: At Republic Summit 2026, Sub-Inspector Rudresh Singh of the 210 CoBRA Battalion, CRPF, recounted the harrowing anti-Naxal operation that cost him a leg but reinforced his commitment to the mission of a Maoist-free India.

Recalling the operations, Singh said his team was tasked with sanitising a region where Maoists were known to plant IEDs. The area included caves, water points and difficult jungle terrain, locations often used by Maoists to lay ambushes for security forces.

"We knew there would be IEDs around the caves. Our responsibility was to clear the area so that the rest of the force could move safely," he said.

Leading the search operation, Singh and his team successfully detected and neutralised nearly five IEDs hidden along routes leading to the caves, and it also involved the use of specialised equipment as well as K9 units trained to detect explosives.

"We demolished around five IEDs and sanitised the area with the help of K9s. But unfortunately, one IED remained undetected, I stepped on it and lost my leg," Singh recalled.

Despite suffering the devastating injury, Singh credited CoBRA training for helping him remain mentally resilient in the face of adversity.

"The training builds mental, physical and psychological resilience. It has to be tough because the ground reality is even harsher. You never know what is going to happen on the ground," he said.

He noted that detecting the earlier explosives had helped protect fellow personnel who were moving through the area.

'Training Makes Us Ready for Any Terrain': Rudresh Singh

He also shared the preparation required for CoBRA commandos. Singh said personnel undergo rigorous physical, mental and psychological training before being deployed in jungle warfare operations.

"We get very rigorous physical, mental and psychological training. We are trained in jungle warfare, guerrilla tactics, night operations, IED detection and various operational scenarios. After the training, we become fully capable of operating in jungles and difficult terrain," he said.

According to Singh, the 10-to-12-week training programme is designed to push commandos to their limits, preparing them for the harsh realities of anti-Naxal operations.

The 210 CoBRA Battalion is among the CRPF's most elite anti-Naxal units, specialising in guerrilla warfare and jungle operations. The force has played a crucial role in several major offensives against Maoist insurgents across central India.

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