J&K: Landmine exploded near LoC, no casualty reported

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A landmine exploded near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district in the early hours of Saturday but there was no report of any damage, officials said, reported PTI.

The landmine exploded around 4 am amid incessant rains near the Khokhri post in Terwan village of the Degwar area, the officials said. They said Army troops immediately conducted a search of the area but nothing was found.

The forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system to prevent terrorists from intruding into the Indian side from across the border. The mines sometimes go off after getting washed away by rains or forest fires.

In October 2021, five civilians were injured in a mysterious explosion in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. Police sources had said the civilians were injured in a mysterious explosion in Sumbal town of Bandipora district. "The injured were shifted to a local hospital from where the attending doctors referred all of them to Srinagar for specialised treatment."

In January 2023, seven people were injured in two explosions within a span of 15 minutes in Jammu. The additional director general of police (Jammu zone) confirmed the explosions and injuries to six people. The blasts in the transport yard of Narwal were triggered by suspected terrorists at a time when security agencies in the region were on high alert amid the Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress and the Republic Day celebrations.

In April 2023, at least two jawans were killed in a fire triggered by a suspected blast in an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, sources had said. The incident took place on a highway in the Bhata Dhurian area. According to initial reports, the blast was caused by a lightning strike, the sources said. Two-three jawans were killed, they said. Army and police personnel have rushed to the spot, which is 90 kilometres from Poonch, they said.

In December 2022, a man was injured in a blast near the Army's firing practice range in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said. Harbansh Singh, a resident of Nonial village of Nowshera sub-division, was reportedly present near the practice range in Garhi when the explosion took place, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)