Jammu, March 26
One person was killed and seven others were wounded when a petrol tanker in which terrorists are suspected to have planted an explosive device exploded just outside the main oil depot of the Indian Oil at the railway station here early this morning.
It is suspected that the terrorists had planted the explosive device in the tanker with the intention of blowing up the massive oil dump, but the device exploded outside the depot while the driver had gone to get the oil filling slip issued.
With this, a major tragedy was averted as the explosion inside the depot would have caused great damage to the railway station and the residential areas around.
Panic gripped the place after the explosion at around 8 a.m.
The killed person was identified as Mehmood Ahmed of Madani village in Poonch district.
The injured were identified as Nazakat Ali (Mendhar), Kishen Chand (Digiana), Rakesh Kumar (Rajouri), Chanchal Singh (Rajouri), Mohammad Farooq (Poonch), Ali (Poonch) and Shaloo (Rajouri). They were rushed to the local medical college hospital for treatment.
The truck had come from Poonch and was parked in an open area. The explosive was planted in its engine. Three other petrol tankers were damaged due to the explosion. The petroleum dealers alleged that the authorities have not taken any security measures in the sensitive area despite repeated requests by them. The vehicles are parked around the oil depot haphazardly without any proper space having been provided for the purpose.
