Poonch LoC: Four killed in IED blast on Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir side, vigilance heightened

Four people were killed in an IED blast across the Line of Control near Poonch’s Krishna Ghati area. The blast reportedly eliminated a group of four infiltrators in Salotri, near Nangi Tekri, on Monday afternoon. Separately, officials said four workers died in the Satwal-Naki area of Hajira tehsil on the Pakistani side.

The deceased were identified as Faizan Sagheer, Ishtiaq, Waqas Sharief, and Asim Rafiq. They reportedly came from Battal Mandhol village in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and were cousins. Officials said they did not immediately know whether any of them were involved in terror activities.

The deaths led to stronger security measures on the Indian side. Vigilance increased along the LoC, and security forces issued an alert to prevent a possible security breach. The incident also came as troops detected and defused two rusted landmines in nearby Mendhar sector.

The blast happened across the Line of Control, on the Pakistan-administered side of the divided region. Officials placed it in the Satwal-Naki area of Hajira tehsil, in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The location lies opposite India’s Poonch district, near the Krishna Ghati sector.

The report also described the blast as occurring in the Salotri area near Nangi Tekri along the LoC in Poonch sector. This wording reflects the close border geography: the incident was across the boundary, while Indian security forces watched the adjoining Poonch area. Workers were reportedly laying water pipes when the explosion occurred.

Because the incident happened near the LoC, Indian authorities increased vigilance and sounded an alert. These measures were intended to prevent a possible security breach. The location also matters because forward areas on the Indian side contain landmines as part of an anti-infiltration system.

An IED is an improvised explosive device: a makeshift bomb assembled from available materials. It can be concealed near a path, worksite, or border area. Its danger comes from the sudden release of explosive energy, which can kill or injure people nearby.

In this case, workers were laying water pipes in PoJK’s Satwal-Naki area of Hajira tehsil when the blast occurred. The reported deaths show how routine work can become dangerous when an explosive device is present nearby. The article identifies the device as an IED but does not state how it was activated.

The incident also had consequences beyond the blast site. Indian authorities intensified vigilance along the LoC and sounded an alert. They aimed to prevent a possible security breach. The report separately mentioned two rusted landmines found near India’s border fence, showing that explosive hazards remained a concern in the wider area.

Indian Army troops found two rusted landmines in Mendhar sector’s Basoni area on Monday. Both devices were defused through controlled explosions by Army experts. The discovery happened during track construction, highlighting the danger that buried explosives can pose during work near the border.

The mines were spotted at 8.25 am and 12.10 pm. Officials said they were located near the border fence. After detection, trained Army personnel handled the devices and destroyed them in controlled blasts, rather than leaving them as a danger to workers or patrols.

The two mines were part of a larger recent pattern. Around a dozen landmines had been detected and defused by the Indian Army in the previous week. The article explains that heavy rain can wash mines away, causing them to surface in places where they may threaten people. This keeps mine detection an ongoing task.

The deaths prompted heightened security measures on the Indian side of the LoC. Officials said vigilance was intensified across the border, and security forces sounded an alert. These steps followed reports of the deadly blast on the Pakistani side near India’s Poonch sector.

The immediate purpose was to prevent any possible security breach. The report does not describe a specific attempted breach after the explosion. It does establish that authorities treated the incident as a reason to watch the border more closely and strengthen readiness in adjoining areas.

The alert came amid other explosive hazards near the frontier. Army troops detected two rusted landmines in Mendhar sector’s Basoni area during track construction and defused them in controlled explosions. Around a dozen mines had been detected and defused over the preceding week, while heavy rain could bring buried mines to the surface.

The article says forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of an anti-infiltration system. Their presence reflects the security importance of the border and the effort to guard approaches used by people attempting to cross. The mines therefore form one element of wider border protection.

A concrete example came from Mendhar sector’s Basoni area. During track construction, Army troops spotted two rusted landmines near the border fence. Army experts then defused both devices in controlled explosions. The discovery shows how mines can remain in areas where construction and movement continue.

The system also creates a continuing safety challenge. Heavy rains can wash mines away and make them surface in new locations. In the previous week, around a dozen mines were detected and defused. The article indicates that mine detection and disposal remain necessary alongside LoC vigilance.

Old landmines can become dangerous again because heavy rain may wash them away from their buried positions. The article says this movement can cause mines to surface in areas where they pose a potential risk. A mine does not have to remain exactly where it was first placed to threaten people.

The risk was illustrated in Mendhar sector’s Basoni area. Two rusted mines were discovered during construction of tracks, near the border fence. Army experts defused them in controlled explosions. Their rusted condition did not remove the danger, and their discovery showed why work in mined areas requires careful detection.

The problem remains active rather than historical. Officials said around a dozen landmines had been detected and defused during the previous week. Continued rain, construction, and movement near the LoC can reveal hazards that were previously hidden. This makes regular vigilance and controlled disposal important.