Soldier injured in mine blast near LoC in JK's Poonch

An Army personnel was injured in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir Sunday, officials said.

The soldier hit a landmine during patrolling near a forward post in Jhallas sector and got injured in the explosion at around 9.30 am, they said.

He was shifted to Army base hospital in Udhampur for treatment, the officials said.

As part of the counter-infiltration strategy, the Army uses landmines to plug the possible infiltration routes to stop terrorists to enter into this side and sometimes the explosive devices get dislocated due to rains causing the accidental blasts, they said.

Meanwhile, the officials said a live mortar shell was found lying in an open field near the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district. It was defused by the bomb disposal squad, they added.

The mortar fired by Pakistan some time back had failed to explode and was noticed by a villager in his field on this side of the fencing, the officials said.