Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 8: Suspected militants today triggered serial blasts on the Line of Control (LoC) at Sabjian sub sector in Poonch district killing an Army porter and injuring three others. Two mules carrying goods for the Army also perished in the blast, which were triggered either through Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) or landmines planted by the militants in forward areas along the LoC.
Troops have already been maintaining a very high alert on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts with repeated bids of infiltration by the militants from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and attempts by the militants to plant IEDs and landmines on the LoC to target Army soldiers. Army had gunned down a human bomb in the same sector last week.
Official sources told the Excelsior that three IEDs or landmines were detonated by the militants along the LoC in Sabjian sub sector of Poonch at 7.45 am, 7.55 am and 12.40 pm today either using remote control devices, time devices or trip wire technology. The IEDs or mines might also have gone off with pressure device.
While first and third blasts failed to cause any casualties or damage, it was the second blast at 7.55 am in which one porter, engaged by the Army for carrying their goods from one post to another, was killed while three others were injured. Two mules also perished in the blasts.
Army troops from their forward posts in Sabjian sub sector immediately came into action and evacuated all three injured porters from the site of blasts. They were shifted to hospital.
However, body of the dead porter, who has been identified as Javed Iqbal son of Ghulam Rasool, a resident of village Gagrian in Poonch district, couldn’t be lifted from the spot, which fell under firing range of a forward post of Pakistan Army. The body was likely to be lifted in the night, sources said, adding that a decision not to lift body of the killed porter during the day was taken to avoid more casualties as Pakistani troops, frustrated by their miserable failure to push infiltrators into this side, could fire at the jawans.
Injured porters have been identified as Manzoor Ahmad son of Abdul Hamid, a resident of Gagrian, Abdul Aziz son of Salam Din R/o Gountrian and Abdul Samad son of Abdul Hamid, a resident of Gagrian in Poonch district. They have been hospitalised.
Senior Army officers rushed to the site of blasts in Sabjian sub sector to assess the situation. Authorities have also rushed the Bomb Disposal Squads to the spot to defuse IEDs or landmines, planted by the militants to cause casualties on the Army side.
Sources said the militants might have sneaked into this side as the area was beyond the fencing, planted the IEDs or mines during the night and returned. They detonated the IEDs when the porters were passing from the area either through remote control or trip wire. The explosive devices could have also exploded with time devices or pressure devices.
Army had engaged 11 porters in the area to shift their goods from one place to another. In the morning, they were engaged in the routine task of shifting the goods on the mules when the explosions took place. Two mules were also killed in the blasts.
The local people at Sabjian held a massive demonstration against Pakistan Army for targeting hapless and innocent porters, who were earning their livelihood by shifting goods of the Army. They shouted slogans against Pakistan Army for planting IEDs and mines in the forward areas to kill or injure civilians.
Few days back, senior Army officers had described situation on the LoC as tense in view of Pakistan Army’s repeated firing and ceasefire violations to push the infiltrators into the Indian side. However, the troops have successfully thwarted all attempts by the militants aimed at intrusions with the help of Pakistan Army.
This was the second incident at Sabjian in which the Pakistani militants had intercepted the porters inside the Indian territory ahead of the border fencing. In the middle of May, four porters, hired by the Army, had been intercepted by the militants and robbed them of their belongings including identity cards, milk cartons etc and warned of consequences if they were found moving again in the area.
Army officers had said recently that Pakistani militants were now trying to target forward Army posts in Poonch district directly to divert focus of the jawans and ensure successful infiltration. Last week, the Army had gunned down a human bomb at Sabjian sector, who had to target an Army picket. The human bomb, a Pakistani national was blown into pieces. He had strapped an explosive laden belt on his body, which went off after the troops fired upon him.
Sources reiterated that all attempts by the militants like sending human bombs or planting IEDs and mines in the forward areas were aimed at inflicting casualties on Army and, in the process, ensure infiltration of the ultras. However, the troops have been maintaining a very high alert on the LoC as they were well aware of the militants’ plot.
Meanwhile, an Army jawan was injured when an old unexploded ordinance device exploded accidentally along the Line of Control in Rajouri district.
Army jawans were clearing the area near the LoC in Laam sector of Nowshera tehsil when the device exploded, resulting in injuries to Naik Jagtar Singh last evening, an Army officer said.
Singh was admitted to hospital, he said.
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