Trooper killed, 3 injured in IED blast near LoC

 An army trooper was killed and three others injured when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by militants went off along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

“The IED hit an army patrol at 0830 hours today (Thursday) along LoC in Gambhir battalion area due to which one solider was killed and three others were injured,” defence spokesman Col Manish Mehta said. 

The area, which is heavily guarded by the army, is about 180 kilometres southwest of Srinagar.  The slain soldier has been identified as Shankar Singh of 20 JAT regiment while the injured are Lance Naik Mahindar Singh, sepoys Shamveer and Surinder Prasad of 6 Rajput. 

The injured soldiers have been airlifted to the army’s northern command hospital in Udhampur town of Jammu region, Col Mehta said.

A senior Army officer wishing anonymity told Deccan Herald that Pakistan Army’s Border Area Team, also called BAT, might have infiltrated to plant the IED. 

“As the area where the blast occurred is close to the LoC, the role of BAT can’t be ruled out. The IED appeared to have been planted by the BAT who taking advantage of the darkness and high wild growth, might have sneaked into the Indian side,” he said.

“During of switching over the units from old unit of 20 JAT to new unit of 6 Rajput, the IED exploded through remote control to target troops,” he added.Reports said a search operation was in progress in the area.