M A I N   N E W S

Jawan killed; Major among 7 hurt in 2 blasts along LoC in Poonch
Ravi Krishnan Khajuria & Darshan Bharti
Tribune News Service

Jammu/Poonch, June 12
A soldier was killed and seven Armymen, including a Major, were injured in two blasts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district.

Sepoy Shanker Singh of 20 Jat Regiment was killed while three others were injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off while an Army team was patrolling in Tarkundi area of Balakote sector at 8.30 am. The attack is suspected to have been carried out by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT).

Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said: "The injured have been shifted to hospital. They are reportedly out of danger." He said General Officer Commanding, White Knight Corps, Lt Gen KH Singh, has expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased Sepoy.

A senior Army officer said, "It was an IED attack and the elements from across the LoC are suspected to have planted it.". "The soldier we lost belonged to 20 Jat Regiment while three injured --- Lance Naik Mohinder Singh, Sepoy Shamveer and Sepoy Saninder Prasad -- belonged to 6 Rajputana Rifles," he said."Initially, they were taken to 150 Garrison Hospital in Rajouri from where they were shifted to Command Hospital in Udhampur," said the officer. Intelligence sources, however, said the IED was planted on a foot track between Chira and Pir posts and was detonated by a remote. After the explosion, when troops of 7 Sikh Regiment and 66 Engineers were scanning the area for more IEDs, a soldier accidentally stepped on a mine resulting in injuries to four Armymen. The injured have been identified as Major Bhatia, Sepoy Ajay Pratap, Havildar Sushil Kumar, all from 66 Engineers and Lance Naik Sukhwinder Singh of 7 Sikh Regiment.

"Major Bhatia, Lance Naik Sukhwinder Singh and Havildar Sushil Kumar suffered critical injuries.All four injured rushed to 150 Garrison Hospital in Rajouri from where they were airlifted to the Northern Command Hospital," said sources.

IED targets patrol team

• An IED blast targeted a patrol team in Balakote sector at 8.30 am, leaving a soldier dead and 3 others injured
• After the explosion, when troops of 7 Sikh Regiment and 66 Engineers were scanning the area for more IEDs, a soldier accidentally stepped on a mine resulting in injuries to four Armymen.