LG BD Mishra announces compensation for Kargil bomb blast victim; orders time-bound removal of ammunition

Kargil: Taking a stern note of the Kargil Bomb blast incident, the UT administration has decided to remove dangerous ammunition in a limited time duration in the blind areas of Kargil and other places of Ladakh, even as Lieutenant Governor Brigadier B D Mishra announced a compensation of Rs 4 Lakh for the deceased’s family and Rs 1 Lakh each to those injured.

The unfortunate incident occurred near the Astro Football ground at Kurbathang in Kargil this morning.

As per the reports coming in, three young boys were on their way to Astro Football ground at Kurbathang on Sunday morning when they came across the bomb. The curious boys went near the bomb which exploded, resulting in serious injuries to the three boys.

Identified as Ali Naqi son of Nassir Ali, Muntazir Mehdi son of Sheikh Isshaq Babayi and Baqir son of Mohammad, the trio were immediately rushed to a hospital.

“However, Baqir succumbed to his injuries on the way to New District Hospital at Khurbathang, while the treatment of the other two boys was going on,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kargil Anayat Ali Chodhary confirmed to The Earth News.

“An old unexploded Shell went off in the said place. We will look into the matter,” he said.

The three boys, aged 13-15 years, were residents of Kharzong Pashkum.

Lieutenant Governor Brigadier B D Mishra visited the hospital late Sunday evening and expressed his condolences with the family of the deceased.

“I am deeply saddened by the incident. It is unfortunate that one child died and two others were badly injured. The injured child is out of danger, and the other child might survive with a back surgery which the doctors will perform on him,” Mishra told the reporters outside the hospital.

While I cannot bring the child back to life, the administration will be giving Rs 4 lakh to the family of the deceased child and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured child,” he announced.

“We are starting the operation to remove dangerous ammunition in a limited time duration in the blind areas of Kargil and other places of Ladakh,” said Mishra.

Condolences also poured in from all sections of society over the incident.

Councillor Pashkum, Kacho Mohammad Feroz expressed concern over the incident and urged the administration to take immediate measures to clear the area of any unexploded bombs for the safety of the residents.

Qamar Ali Akhoon, National Conference’s regional president for Ladakh called for sanitisation of the area, as he extended his deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.

The incident has also brought back memories of the 1999 war, which was fought between India and Pakistan in the Kargil region.