At least four residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were killed in an explosion involving a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) on Monday. The incident occurred in the Satwal-Naki area of Hajira tehsil, situated across the Line of Control (LoC) adjacent to the Krishna Ghati sector in the Poonch district. According to initial reports, the victims were engaged in manual labour, specifically laying water pipes along the Pakistan side of the border when the blast occurred.
Official sources identified the four deceased as Faizan Sagheer, Ishtiaq, Waqas Sharief, and Asim Rafiq, all residents of Battal Mandhol village. According to preliminary information cited by officials, the victims were cousins. At this stage, authorities have stated that there is no immediate information to suggest that any of the individuals killed were involved in terror-related activities.
The impact of the explosion was felt across the border, leading to an immediate response from Indian security forces in the Poonch region. Security personnel have sounded a high-level alert across the sector and significantly increased vigilance along the Line of Control. The move is intended to assess the unfolding situation and ensure that no security breaches occur in the aftermath of the blast on the other side of the border.
In a separate set of developments occurring in the same general region on Monday, Indian Army troops reported the detection of two rusted landmines near the border fence in the Basoni area of the Mendhar sector. These devices were discovered by soldiers during routine track construction activities. The first landmine was located at approximately 8:25 am, while the second was identified later in the day at 12:10 pm.
Expert teams from the Indian Army were deployed to the site to handle the hazardous devices. Both landmines were subsequently neutralised and destroyed through controlled explosions. These discoveries are part of a broader trend of clearing explosives in the area; officials noted that approximately a dozen landmines have been successfully detected and defused by Army personnel in the vicinity over the past week alone.
The situation along the Line of Control remains sensitive, with the Indian military maintaining a high degree of preparedness. While the blast occurred in territory under Pakistan's administration, the proximity of the incident to the Krishna Ghati sector has necessitated heightened defensive measures on the Indian side to safeguard the border population and prevent infiltrations or cross-border instability.
Local authorities and security agencies in the Poonch district continue to monitor the developments closely, coordinating with ground units to maintain surveillance over the border regions. The recent string of mine detection operations reflects the ongoing challenges faced by security forces in ensuring the safety of the border infrastructure and local pathways in the region.
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