SRINAGAR: Three soldiers were injured, one of them critically, after an explosion in a vehicle in which they were travelling in Shopian in south Kashmir on Thursday.
A Srinagar-based defence spokesman said at about 3 am, an operation was launched by troops in the general area Patitohalan, Sedhau in Shopian district on specific inputs.
“While moving to the target area, at approximately a km from Sedhau village, an explosion took place in the civil hired vehicle being used by the security men. It caused injuries to three Indian Army soldiers,” he said.
The injured army men were shifted and given first aid at District Hospital, Shopian and thereafter evacuated to an army hospital in Srinagar. The condition of one of the injured soldiers is stated to be critical.
The defence spokesman said the blast is very likely to be from either an IED or a grenade or a battery malfunctioning in the vehicle. “Details are being ascertained,” he said.
After the blast, more troops were rushed to the area and they launched a cordon and search operation in the area. “The area has been cordoned off and all likely escape routes have been sealed. Search to nab the militants is going on,” the defence spokesman said.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the nature and source of the blast due to grenade or already planted IED inside a vehicle or malfunctioning battery is being investigated and will be shared.