BSF Asstt Commandant killed; 5 hurt in blast on IB in Samba

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 11/20/2018 1:11:46 PM

JAMMU, Nov 19: A BSF assistant commandant was killed while four others, including 2 Inspectors and three Sub-Inspectors (SIs) were injured in an explosion at a Border Out Post (BOP) near Mangu Chak along the International Border (IB) in Samba district Monday evening.
Conflicting reports emerged about the nature of blast as officially speaking neither the BSF nor civil authorities clarified on that account maintaining that an investigation was on to ascertain the facts.
Assistant Commandant Jabbar Singh was killed in the explosion while Inspector Naresh Naidu, Inspector G Ajit Kumar, Sub-Inspector Amit, Sub Inspector Aakash sustained grievous injuries. Another Sub-Inspector Pradeep too suffered minor injuries in the blast.
All BSF personnel belonged to the 173rd battalion of BSF. The injured were shifted to a military hospital Satwari in Jammu.
“A blast has taken place at a BOP in Samba sector. One BSF person has died and few others (were) injured,” was a single liner from BSF spokesperson as official response on that account till late evening.
“An explosion took place at a BOP in Mangu Chak in Samba sector. An assistant commandant was killed while five officers were injured in the blast,” said Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Arun Manhas, adding that an investigation was on.
However official sources in the civil administration preferring anonymity stated that the explosion occurred during practice fire when the Assistant Commandant Jabbar Singh was engaged in practice fire cum weapon demo to two new inductee Sub-Inspectors at around 5.45 PM. During demonstration, there occurred accidental grenade explosion resulting into the death of Singh and grievous injuries to five other officers.
There was no official confirmation on this account by BSF. Spokesperson did not pick up phone despite repeated attempts.
However, a Border Security Force (BSF) officer preferring anonymity said it was not known yet whether the blast was caused due to some accident or it was a mortar fire from the Pakistan side. “It (explosion) may be caused by some kind of projectile that had come across the border,” he added.
Another BSF officer said, “A blast has taken place, probably a grenade, in which an officer has died and five others were injured. As of now, it is not clear how the blast took place and from where the grenade was thrown or who did it.”
When asked whether practice fire was on, he said live grenades were not used during practice. He also said it would be premature to assume that there was a terror angle to it. “The picture is still not clear,” he added.
A senior police officer said, “Assistant commandant Jabbar Singh died and five BSF personnel were injured. The blast took place inside the post. There was only one blast and thereafter, no exchange of fire across the border.” He, however, did not rule out the possibility of the explosive being launched from across the international border. “BSF posts run close to the border and hence the possibility could not be ruled out, but nothing is clear as of now,” he added.

 

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