Soldier killed, others three injured in IED blast in Kashmir’s Kulgam

A soldier was killed and three others injured in a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday morning, police said.

The army, however, said it was a grenade attack on a road opening party (ROP).

A police spokesman said that around at 10:15 am, the police received information of an explosion at Govt Middle School Subhanpora in which four personnel of 24 Rashtriya Rifles were injured and had been evacuated to hospital for treatment.

"One of the personnel later succumbed to injuries sustained in the blast. Security forces launched operations at a number of locations to nab those involved."

The spokesman said that preliminary investigation revealed that a rudimentary IED with low powered explosive and ball bearings was planted in an abandoned building inside the school premises.

"24 RR personnel would come and use the verandah of the said building on a regular basis for various purposes. The IED was most probably planted in the night before the incident and it is evident that the attack was planned well in advance after observing troop movement for a sustained period of time," the spokesman said.

He said a case has been registered in Qaimoh police station and investigation has started.

The army had earlier said that four soldiers who were part of the road opening party were injured in a grenade attack.

"Terrorists lobbed a grenade on the Army's road opening party during the sanitisation drill in the general area Shamshipura, Khanabal, Kulgam. Four soldiers sustained splinter injuries. Provided first aid and have been evacuated to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar," an army spokesman had said shortly after the attack.