An Agniveer sustained injuries after stepping on a landmine during a routine patrol in the Balakote Sector of Mendhar, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said on Sunday.
According to the Army, the incident occurred on Saturday evening near the Line of Control when a soldier inadvertently triggered a landmine, resulting in an explosion.
“In this incident, one Agniveer, identified as Vinoth Kumar S, received injuries in his right foot. He was immediately shifted to 150GH Rajouri Hospital for treatment,” officials said.
The condition of the injured soldier is said to be stable.
Meanwhile, the Army confirmed that in two back-to-back encounters on Saturday, three militants and one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were killed along the LoC in Akhnoor sector.
“During the encounter, a Junior Commissioned Officer of the Army was killed along the LoC in the Akhnoor,” the Army stated.
Landmine explosions, particularly in forward areas and along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, have been a recurrent cause of concern, often resulting in injuries and, in some instances, fatalities among security personnel.
One such incident occurred earlier this year on 6 January, when at least six Army personnel were injured following a landmine explosion in a forward village in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.
The explosion took place at 10.45 a.m. near Khamba Fort while troops were on patrol duty. “Troops on patrol duty accidentally triggered a landmine as one of the soldiers stepped on it,” reports said.
The injured soldiers were quickly transported to a hospital, and their condition was reported to be stable.
Officials added that landmines are routinely laid in forward locations near the Line of Control as part of the Army’s anti-infiltration grid. However, heavy rainfall and shifting soil conditions occasionally displace these devices, leading to unintended detonations and subsequent injuries to personnel.
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