Major fire in Arms depot, 20 injured, thousands rescued

Srinagar, Aug 11 (UNI) About 20 people, including half a dozen civilians, were injured when a major fire broke out in an arms and ammunition depot in south Kashmir today.

Official sources said the number of injured was very high and several others, including Army and fire service personnel, were missing.

The militant outfit Jamait-ul-Mujahideen (JuM) has claimed responsibility for the fire. A fax statement issued by JuM spokesman Jameel Ahmad claimed that three militants fired rockets towards the Army camp at Khandroo at 0915 hrs today.

Ahmad announced a reward of Rs five lakh for south Kashmir commander of the outfit Taufeeq Afghani.

Loud explosions were heard from the site and people in the radiusot five km area were directed to leave their homes and take shelter in safe places.

A defence ministry spokesman confirmed that the fire broke out in the building in Khandroo camp where arms and ammunition were kept.

He ruled out any sabotage or militant hand in the fire.

A police spokesman said about 11 people, including four civilians, were injured while at least 20,000 people from four villages were taken to safer places.

He said repeated announcements were being made through public address system in mosques and police Jeeps, requesting people to leave their homes.

A fire service spokesman told UNI that about a dozen fire tenders were rushed to the area from different parts of south Kashmir.

Two of our men received injuries and were hospitalised, he said adding three other jawans were missing.

A resident told UNI over phone that repeated announcements were being made by the Army to leave the area because of heavy explosions, sound of which reverberated in the ten km area.

He said some security force personnel in the two km area were seen leaving for safer places.

Official sources said a number of civilians were also reportedly injured after they were hit by flying stones and other objects.

Scores of army personnel are reported missing, they said.

About ten senior army officers were killed in a similar accidental fire in a building in which arms and ammunition, recovered during the counter insurgency operations, were kept in the nineties.

UNI