Poonch LoC: Four killed in IED blast on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir side, vigilance heightened

At least four people from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir were killed in an IED blast near the Line of Control in Poonch on Monday. The incident prompted heightened security, while Indian Army troops separately found and defused two landmines in Mendhar.

At least four residents of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir were killed in an IED (improvised explosive device) blast across Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on Monday across the Line of Control (LoC), adjacent to Poonch district's Krishna Ghati on Monday.

“A group of four infiltrators was reportedly eliminated in a powerful IED blast in Salotri area near Nangi Tekri along the LoC in Poonch sector on Monday afternoon,” Hindustan Times reported citing official sources.

The deaths prompted heightened security measures on the Indian side, PTI reported citing an official.

The blast occurred in PoJK's Satwal-Naki area of Hajira tehsil when some workers were laying water pipes along the Pakistani side of the LOC, PTI reported citing officials.

Officials cited preliminary information received from across the border to reveal that the deceased were identified as Faizan Sagheer, Ishtiaq, Waqas Sharief, and Asim Rafiq who hailed from Battal Mandhol village of PoJK and were reportedly cousins.

Officials also said that the involvement of any of the deceased in terror activities was not known immediately.

Vigilance was intensified across the LoC and security forces sounded an alert to prevent any possible security breach, as per officials.

Landmines near border

In another development, Indian Army troops detected two rusted landmines near the border fence in Mendhar sector's Basoni area on Monday. These landmines were spotted during the construction of tracks at 8.25 am and 12.10 pm, officials said.

The also added that both devices were defused by the Army experts in a controlled explosion.

In the past one week itself, around a dozen landmines were detected and defused by the Indian Army.

As part of an anti-infiltration system, the forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines. Sometimes heavy rains tend to wash away these mines, causing them to surface in areas where they might be a potential risk.