Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 17: A 26-year-old youth was killed on Wednesday after an unexploded shell exploded in his hands at the controversial Tosa Maidan field firing range in Budgam.
He has been identified as Bilal Ahmad Parray son of Ghulam Mohammad Parray of Cherhar Beerwah. Parray died after he picked up the shell from the artillery field late afternoon, police sources said. They said Bilal died on the spot.
With scores of civilian casualties reported from the field firing range in last several years, the locals are agitating against any further extention in lease of this land to Army. The lease ended in April this year but the base is yet to be shifted with consensus eluding the army and civilian authorities.
Meanwhile, an Army spokesman in a statement said an unfortunate accident occurred in Tosamaidan wherein Bilal Ahmed Parry of Cherhar Beerwah died due to an explosion.
“The Army troops on ground assisted in evacuating the injured to the nearest medical facility at village Drang. Army expresses profound grief on loss of precious life and conveys deepest condolence to the bereaved family,” the spokesman said.
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