Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 29: Five persons were injured in a blast on Gulabgarh-Machail road while security forces recovered a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material at Marwah in Kishtwar district today thwarting a fresh plot by the terrorists to strike in the district, where the militancy has been dying slowly.
Official sources said five men of work force had gone to see a hill as gelatin rods fitted there for blasting purposes hadn’t exploded at village Sanyas, about three kilometers from Gulabgarh, where road was being constructed up to Machail Mata ji shrine, at 2.30 pm today.
However, when the workers were examining the spot one of the gelatin rods suddenly exploded causing injuries to all five workers.
The victims were hit with splinters of the explosive device. The construction agency workers and police shifted the injured to local hospital from where they were referred to District Hospital Kishtwar in serious condition. All of them were responding to the treatment. However, late in the evening, the doctors at the District Hospital Kishtwar referred all five injured to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
Police said the work was on for construction of road from Gulabgarh to Machail Mata ji shrine under Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The construction agency was engaged in blasting a minor rock to level the area using permitted gelatin rods. However, the gelatin rods didn’t explode. As the workers went to the spot to examine the area, the unexploded gelatin rod went off triggering an explosion that caused injuries to all five workers.
The blast triggered panic in the area. Local people rushed to the spot after hearing the sound of blast. However, they dispersed after being told by the cops that it was an accidental blast.
Meanwhile, troops of Rashtriya Rifles today recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives from a hideout of the militants at Nanchwar forests in Navapachi area of Kishtwar district. The consignment reportedly belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and had been dumped in the forests for carrying out terror strikes.
Two hardcore militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfits—Jehangir Saroori and Riaz Ahmed were still surviving.
Recoveries made from the hideout included one AK-56 rifle, one 7.62mm pistol with magazine, one .303 rifle with magazine, 94 rounds of AK-56, six pistol rounds, five rounds of .303 rifle, four Chinese hand grenades, five magazines of AK-56 rifle, one broken radio set, one binocular with cover and items of daily use, sources said.
They added that the militants had been planning to revive dying militancy in Kishtwar district but the recovery of arms and ammunition along with explosive material has thwarted their designs.
Army and police conducted searches in the area but no arrests were made.
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