JCO among four soldiers injured in accidental landmine explosion along LoC in J&K's Rajouri
Jammu, June 16
A junior commissioned officer was among the four soldiers injured in an accidental landmine explosion in J&K's Rajouri district on Tuesday, officials said.
The explosion was caused by accidental activation of a landmine during an area domination patrol by the army in the forward Kalal area of the Nowshera sector of Rajouri.
"A JCO and three soldiers were injured in the blast and were immediately evacuated to a hospital for treatment," an official said.
As part of the anti-infiltration drive, the forward areas are dotted with landmines, which sometimes get washed away by rain, resulting in such accidents.
Landmines which get washed away from their original place of implantation are called "drift mines", and the majority of accidents caused to army patrols are caused by these drift mines.
J&K has a 740-Km long LoC situated in the Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts of the Valley, as well as the Rajouri, Poonch and partly in the Jammu district of the Jammu division.
In addition, there is a 240 km long international border situated in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts of Jammu division.
The LoC is guarded by the army, while the international border is guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF).
The deployed armed forces on the LoC and the international border prevent infiltration, exfiltration, smuggling and drone activity initiated from across the border. Drones are used by terror outfit handlers across the border on the Pakistani side to send payloads of arms, ammunition, cash, and drugs to sustain terrorism in J&K.
These payloads are picked up by the overground workers (OGWs) of various terrorist outfits and then passed on to the active terrorists in the area.
The Army and the BSF are now using hi-tech anti-drone equipment to check the menace. Since the deployment of this equipment, drone operations from across the border have significantly decreased.
Meanwhile, a suspected Pakistani drone was sighted today in the Rajouri district over forward villages in the Sunderbani sector (between Mahadev Gap and Kalal village).
Security forces immediately launched cordon-and-search operations to prevent any potential airdropping of weapons or narcotics, though no objectionable items were recovered.
These recent drone intrusions are part of a broader pattern. Indian Army troops frequently deploy counter-measures and open fire to neutralise aerial threats along the LoC in sectors like Nowshera, Manjakote, and Teryath.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is exactly why we need better mine clearance protocols along the LoC. The fact that these drift mines have been causing casualties for years shows there's a systemic issue. Our soldiers are risking their lives to protect us from infiltration, and they shouldn't have to worry about accidents from our own defensive measures. Hope this incident leads to some serious review of landmine management.
Very concerning that a Pakistani drone was spotted again in Rajouri just today! 😠 These drone intrusions are getting too frequent. Good that our security forces are now using hi-tech anti-drone equipment, but we need to be even more vigilant. The fact that no weapon payload was recovered this time doesn't mean they're not trying - they're probably testing our response patterns. Army and BSF need to stay one step ahead.
Having visited Rajouri a few years back, I can tell you the terrain is extremely challenging for any military operation. The fact that soldiers are doing area domination patrols in such conditions while dealing with drift mines and potential drone threats is commendable. Truly grateful for their service. Let's all hope for their speedy recovery and for better safety measures going forward.
I've read about these drift mines before - they're a serious hazard and it's heartbreaking that they keep causing injuries to our soldiers. 🥺 But let's also talk about the bigger picture here: the 740km LoC and 240km international border need constant vigilance. Every patrol, every alert about a drone sighting, every cordon-and-search operation is a small battle in this long war against infiltration and terrorism. Our forces are doing an incredible job.
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