At least six soldiers were injured when militants set off an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fitted in a car at a village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday evening. A civilian was also injured in the blast.
A police official said that militants at around quarter past6 pm detonated an IED planted in a car at Arihal village, some six kilometersfrom Pulwama town, when a mobile bunker vehicle of 44 RR was passing throughthe area.
He said that immediately after the blast the militants alsofired upon the vehicle.
According to the official, six soldiers and a civiliansuffered injuries in the blast. “They were soon rushed to army’s 92 base hospital in BadimabaghSrinagar,” he said.
He said the IED fitted car was parked along road side.
The official identified the injured civilian as Abdul AhadMir of Arihal, Pulwama.
He said that Mir was walking down the road when the blastoccurred.
Mir, according to local residents, was immediately rushed todistrict hospital Pulwama from where he was sent to SMHS, Srinagar, given thegrave nature of his injuries.
“His back was pockmarked with the splinterinjuries”, they said.
An army spokesperson said that a failed attempt was made toattack a mobile vehicle patrol of 44 RR with a vehicle based IED.
“Reports of attack on Army convoy are unfounded andbaseless”, added the spokesperson.
He said the area was cordoned off and the searches were on.
Local residents told Greater Kashmir that they heard adeafening sound followed by intense firing.
“The firing lasted for about 10 minutes,” theysaid.
Another police official said that army men also firedseveral shots in retaliation.
Meanwhile, a police handout said that six army soldierssustained injuries in the attack whose condition is stated to be stable.”Moreover 2 civilians also sustained injuries due to this explosion. They wereevacuated to hospital by the soldiers and are undergoing treatment.”
Pertinently on Sunday, Indian Express, quoting securitysources had reported that Pakistan was said to have shared information about apossible attack in Pulwama district.