Soldier killed, 2 hurt in blast during training in Poonch

Rajouri, May 22

A soldier was killed and two others received injuries in an accidental grenade blast near the Line of Control at Dabsi in the Balakote sector of Poonch district on Wednesday.

Police officers, however, said six Army personnel were injured in the blast.

Sources said the blast took place around 9 am when a patrol party was manning a forward location.

They said the injured were airlifted to Command Hospital in Udhampur.

Senior police officers in Poonch said the Army had not shared with them the information about the blast.

Defence Public Relations Officer Lt Col Devender Anand said the incident took place during a training activity at a military post in the Mendhar tehsil of the Balakote sector. He said the soldiers were conducting a training drill with live ammunition under the supervision of a qualified instructor under the ‘mission readiness training’. — OC