Two Army personnel, including a Captain, were killed while another was seriously injured when an improvised explosive device (IED), suspected to have been planted by Pakistan-based terrorists, exploded along the Line of Control in Laleali area of Akhnoor sector in…

Arjun Sharma

Two Army personnel, including a Captain, were killed while another was seriously injured when an improvised explosive device (IED), suspected to have been planted by Pakistan-based terrorists, exploded along the Line of Control in Laleali area of Akhnoor sector in Jammu.

Planted by ultras

• The IED is believed to have been planted by terrorists
• The Army team was on a patrol when the blast occurred
• Injured were shifted to hospital where 2 of them succumbed

According to information, an Army team was on an area domination patrol close to the LoC when the blast occurred. The injured were rushed to a hospital where two of them succumbed to their injuries. The entire area was cordoned off after the explosion, said officials.

The deceased have been identified as Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi and Naik Mukesh. In a post on X, Army’s Nagrota-based White Knight Corps said, “Suspected IED blast reported at Laleali in Akhnoor sector during a fence patrol, resulting in two fatalities. Our troops are dominating the area and search operations are underway. White Knight Corps salutes and pays tribute to the supreme sacrifice of two gallant personnel.” The powerful explosion was learnt to have been heard by soldiers stationed in far-off areas, following which a quick reaction team (QRT) was dispatched to the blast site for area domination. The explosion occurred a day after the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of White Knight Corps, Lt General Navin Sachdeva, visited forward areas in Rajouri in wake of the “hostile activities” going on close to the LoC.

On Saturday, Indian troops patrolling along the LoC in Rajouri had come under fire from a forest area on the Pakistani side. The Army, BSF and the CRPF are already on a high alert, specifically in the Jammu region. In a two-day encounter on October 28-29 last year, three Pakistani terrorists were shot dead by Army personnel in Akhnoor sector.