1 solider killed, 2 injured as shell explodes
By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar : Security forces are facing tough job in clearing the unexploded shells from residential areas around the ammunition depot in Khundroo area of Anantnag district, which caught fire resulting into the death of more than 20 persons and injuries to over fifty others.
One solider was killed and two others were wounded critically, when an shell exploded when the troops were trying to diffuse it, this morning, official sources told News Agency of Kashmir.
Giving details sources said a column of security forces was diffusing the unexploded shells in Simran hamlet near the ammunition depot, this morning. One of the shells exploded with a big bang causing injuries to three soldiers, sources said.
All the five jawans were immediately taken to army hospital; however, one of them succumbed to their injuries on way to the hospital.
The deceased solider has been identified as Lance Naik Sanjay Rao. The injured, Constable BP Rattan and Constable VP Swami, were shifted to Command Hospital, Srinagar.
This was the second such incident around Khundroo, where the shell exploded. Earlier on Thursday an explosive shell lying at Nowgam went off on at about 1730 hours causing injuries to four civilians.
Analysts believe that diffusing all these shells is not an easy task for the security forces. “The shells would be lying scattered upto the radius of 4 kilometers and detecting and diffusing all of them is a tough job for the bomb diffusal squads”, sources said.
The return of some villagers back to their homes has further made the task difficult for the troops and police. “We had advised the villagers not to return until permitted”, a senior police officer said adding, “This was done as we knew that the incidents like that of
Thursday would happen”.