7 killed in Army canteen cylinder explosion, Hizb owns blast

Srinagar, Oct 11 (UNI) At least seven people -- six soldiers and a civilian -- were killed and eight others wounded when an LPG cylinder exploded inside an Army canteen at Pattan in Baramulla district in north Kashmir today, a defence spokesman said.

However, sources had earlier said that nine people -- seven soldiers and two civilians -- were killed in the explosion.

The spokesman said five soldiers and three civilians were also wounded in the gas cylinder explosion which took place at 1120 hrs inside a wet canteen of an Army unit at Hamare village in Pattan area of Baramulla district.

Besides six soldiers, a person employed by a contractor was killed while three civilian employees of the Army wet canteen were among the wounded, he added.

The pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, which has announced a three-day unilateral ceasefire from tomorrow, claimed the responsibility for the explosion.

A Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman telephoned offices of media organisations here, claiming that militants of his group detonated the blast inside the Army canteen, in which more than a dozen soldiers were killed and scores wounded.

UNI