LG announces ex gratia for kin of dead, wounded
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 16: A 13-year-old boy was killed and two others injured when an unexploded shell went off in a remote village in Kargil district in the Union Territory of Ladakh this afternoon.
The three teen boys were playing near the Astro football ground at Kurbathang when they found an unexploded mortar shell, believed to be from the 1999 Kargil war, and started fiddling with it resulting in its explosion, the officials said.
They said Baqir (13) succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital while Ali Naqi and Muntazir Mehdi of the same age were admitted to the hospital. Dead and the injured hailed from village Kharzon in Pashkum area of Kargil district.
Body of the dead teenage boy will be handed over to the family members after post-mortem. Injured are reportedly responding to the treatment.
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Ladakh Lt Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra, who was in Kargil, visited the injured boys in the hospital and assured the best treatment to them.
He also offered his condolences to the family of the deceased boy.
The LG Ladakh while talking to media persons announced Rs four lakh ex-gratia relief for the family of dead and Rs one lakh each for the injured.
Later he also visited the tragic incident place and also directed the concerned to sanitise the area in a limited time, so that no such incident occurs in future. He strictly instructed the concerned authority to monitor the spot till its complete sanitation.
Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil Feroz Khan also visited the spot to assess the situation.
Councillor Pashkum, Kacho Mohd Feroz told reporters that the boys were going to the football ground near which they stumbled upon the bomb. The explosion caused serious injuries to Ali Naqi and Muntazir Mehdi, who were immediately rushed to the New District Hospital at Khurbathang for treatment. Baqir, however, succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead in the hospital.
The Councillor Pashkum called upon the administration to take action in response to the tragic explosion. He said that the issue should be taken up with the Army to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
He also stressed the need for immediate action to sanitize Kurbathang area of any explosives or hazardous materials. This, he stated, is necessary to ensure the safety and security of residents in the area, particularly children who are often at risk of encountering such objects while playing in open spaces.
Locals have urged the authorities to take immediate measures to clear the area of any unexploded bombs and ensure the safety of the residents.
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