Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: Three brick kiln labourers were killed and another injured in an accidental mine blast at forward village of Sariya in Janghar sub sector of Nowshera tehsil, located close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district.
Official reports said four labourers hailing from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, who had been working with a brick kiln, had gone to ease themselves in the morning at about 7.45 am when they accidentally fiddled with an old mine, leading to powerful explosion killing three of them on spot and seriously injuring another.
Army and police personnel from their nearby formations rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. The victims were shifted to the District Hospital, Rajouri, where three of them were declared as dead while another injured was admitted for treatment.
The site inspection by the Army and police officers and bomb experts revealed that the blast had been triggered by the mines, which were laid close to the Line of Control (LoC).
The blast had occurred after one of the labourers saw the mine, picked it up and fiddled with it, leading to the explosion.
Three labourers, who were killed in the explosion, have been identified as Ramni, 42, son of Virender Prasad, Moni, 38, son of Darshan Lal and Vijay Kumar, 26, son of Ramesh Chand. The injured was identified as Amit Kumar son of Ram Swaroop. All of them were residents Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) Defence and MoD spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said the blast occurred when the labourers by mistake lifted an unexploded old vintage mine. He added that further details were being ascertained and the injured has been rushed to the hospital. Condition of the injured has been stated as serious.
Sources said all the injured had suffered splinter injuries all over their bodies.
BJP MLA from Nowshera Ravinder Raina visited the spot and inquired reasons for the blast from the police officers. He also met the family members of the victims and assured them full help from the Government.
Sources said the labourers from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh had come to Nowshera in Rajouri district to work in the brick kiln only few days back.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims have been handed over to the next of their kin after completion of formalities.
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