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| Over 200 mines explode on Pakistan side of LoC in Poonch, | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 12 : More than 200 landmines exploded on the Pakistan side of Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources today said.
''About 200 to 250 explosions took place on the other side of LoC, during the night hours, in Mendhar sector of Poonch,'' an official source told UNI.
The major forest fire is said to be the cause of landmine blasts, the frequency of which was very high between 2300 to 0100 hrs in the night, the source said.
Dense clouds of smoke due to forest fire have engulfed the hilly area along LoC in Mendhar for the last couple of days, sources said.
According to army sources, fire had spread up to Mela Complex area along LoC last evening.
Local sources at Mendhar said areas of Raja Takeri and point 438 border posts along LoC have come under fire, which was spreading out.
''As many as seven landmine explosions near LoC were clearly heard at Mendhar town in night hours,'' a local source said.
Army authorities, however, refrained from comment if there are any similar explosions on the Indian side of LoC, saying the situation is being assessed.
Civil authorities in Poonch district could not be contacted for comments as people alleged no step was taken by the Forest Department to control the fire in the area.
The hilly areas along LoC in Mendhar are thickly inhibited with pine trees, which have a tendency to catch fire due to resin -- a hydrocarbon
secretion of coniferous trees.
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