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Landmine kills 6 soldiers on road to Kargil

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

At least six soldiers were killed and a like number seriously injured in a landmine explosion at Prang, on the Srinagar-Kargil highway late this evening.

Top police sources told Rediff On The NeT that an army vehicle carrying soldiers deployed for the security of the all-important highway hit a landmine, causing extensive damage to the vehicle.

Six soldiers were killed on the spot. The injured were rushed to hospital where four are stated to be in a critical condition.

Sources said the explosion shook the area and panicky residents ran helter-skelter. Soon after, senior army and police officers rushed to the spot with reinforcements. The area was cordoned off and searches were mounted.

No one has yet admitted responsibility for the bombing.

The sources said the local people were subjected to identification parades, but no one was arrested.

This is the first time terrorists have targeted the Srinagar-Kargil highway after the Kargil crisis erupted last month.

The highway is all important for the army which is using it to rush reinforcements, artillery and supplies to the troops engaged in evicting the Pakistani intruders from the Kargil and Drass sectors near the Line of Control.

Last month, terrorists killed eight soldiers in two powerful explosions on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The security of the highway was beefed up and the Indo-Tibetian Border Police took charge of guarding it.

The police sources said security on the Srinagar-Kargil highway will also be strengthened and the highway properly "sanitised".

Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir Governor G C Saxena and Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, accompanied by the chief secretary and the director-general of police, visited Kargil and other areas today to take stock. Abdullah also visited migrant camps set up at Sanku and other areas.

The Kargil Crisis

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