Three CRPF Jawans killed, 11 injured in grenade blast

Ambala, Mar 13 (UNI) Three CRPF Jawans were killed and 11 injured when a hand grenade exploded during practice at firing range Bhoor Kalan under Raipur Rani Police Station today.

Two jawans identified as Virender and Rajesh died on the spot while the third victim, Subhash, died in the PGI.

The condition of five of the injured, whose bodies were pierced by a hail of pellets following the powerful explosion, was stated to be precarious. They were rushed to the civil hospital Naraingarh from where all were referred to the PGI Chandigarh.

The SDM Naraingarh Devinder Kaushik, who rushed to the spot on receiving the information, said that the incident occurred when a "missed" hand grenade was kept at the place of practice without destroying it.

As a rule, the hand grenade is destroyed immediately after it fails to hit target but to the ill-luck of the jawans, it remained on the spot and blasted after a few minutes, he said.

The army and civil bomb explosive experts reached on the spot and collected the samples of the grenade.

Some time ago, three members of a family from the nearby village Bhurewala were killed when a missed hand grenade blasted in the scrap gathered by the family from the firing range.

UNI XC JN JS1900