6 landmines explode along Poonch LoC due to forest fire, army on vigil

Jammu, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Six landmines, planted along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K’s Poonch district, exploded in a forest fire on Wednesday, officials said, adding the blaze, which originated from the other side could be a "deliberate attempt" to cripple the defence system to enable an infiltration bid by terrorists.

The six landmines were part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the officials said.

"The forest fire started from across the border in the afternoon and spread to this side of the LoC in the forward areas of Krishna Ghati sector of Mendhar sub-division. Six blasts were heard at regular intervals over the past few hours after the fire activated the landmines, but there was no report of any casualty. Efforts are on to control the flames, the cause of which is yet to be clearly ascertained," an official said.

"A deliberate attempt from across the border to harm the anti-infiltration obstacle system cannot be ruled out. Army is on high alert to foil any attempt of infiltration by terrorists," the official said.

There is an extraordinary vigil in the hinterland, as the LoC and the International Border (IB) in J&K after reports that terrorists are waiting across the border to infiltrate into the UT before the mountain passes are closed by heavy snowfall.

Terrorists have become active in J&K after the peaceful and people-participative Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the UT. Security forces believe that the handlers of terrorism sitting across the border in Pakistan have directed terrorists to increase their attacks irrespective of whether the army, security forces, police, or civilians become targets of such attacks.

It is to tackle this menace that Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha has instructed the security forces to eliminate terrorists, their harbourers, sympathisers and over-ground workers (OGWs) in order to wipe out the ecosystem of terrorism in J&K.

Source: IANS