SRINGAR: A young man died within Indian army’s firing range at Tosamaidan, Budgam, when he stepped over an abandoned mortar shell, locals said adding that the fresh victim of the firing range had been married ten months ago. This is the second incident since May 19 when a similar shell killed a seven-year-old girl, Simran at Lasipora, little away from the deadly firing range.
Witnesses said Bilal Ahmad Parray, a fresh groom from Cherharan Sanoor, had come to the Shehaar village to seek spiritual guidance from a faith healer. “We suddenly heard a bang and rushed in the direction of the blast. We found Bilal with his face disfigured,” a local told Kashmir Observer over phone from Shehaar.
Tosamaidan, a sprawling meadow which the government had leased out to army in 1964, is being used for war practice for many decades. Officials insist only 63 deaths have taken place in such explosions but locals say over 150 people have fallen victims to such surprise blasts.
Save Tosamaidan Front, an NGO of locals and concerned citizens, has been campaigning for the revocation of the lease, which ended in April. An office bearer of the STF said the government dillydallied over the demand of combing operation of Tosamaidan and adjoining fields. “We had suggested a search operation so that the experts and disposal squads would look for the abandoned ammunition,” he said.
In May massive protests had erupted at Drang Lasipora area of Central Kashmirs Budgam district after a littered shell exploded with a bang, killing the 9-year-old daughter of a farmer and leaving his 5-year-old son permanently disabled. Locals there allege that due to military drills in the past, shells lie scattered in and around Tosamaidan and often they roll down with water and endanger lives in the village.
For past few years littered explosives, shells and live ammunition have killed more than 30 people and injured dozens across Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the victims are children. In 2009 alone, 14 people including children were killed when scattered shells went off while 22 others sustained injuries.
Meanwhile, Tossamaidan Bachave Front while expressing anguish over the death of minor girl said that it has no other option but to initiate an uprising against illegal occupation of Tossamaidan if the lease cancellation order is not issued. We warn the government to issue the cancellation order in black and white before 25 May to avoid agitation, it said.
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