Two brothers were killed while their friend also a minor, received critical injuries after an unexploded shell went off at hillock near Sainik School Mansbal in district Ganderbal on Wednesday.Police said 10-year old Bilal Ahmed Reshi died on the spot while his 12 year old brother Shakir Ahmad Reshi succumbed to his injuries in the hospital when they along with their friend Muzamil Nabi Rather fiddled with a littered shell in Baba Salin village near Sainik School Mansbal in district Ganderbal. Muzamil Nabi Rather reportedly received critical injuries and has been battling for life at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science Soura.
The kids had gone on the hillock for fun when the explosion took place,” a senior police officer told CNS. "The two brothers Shakir and Bilal Ahmed sons of Ghulam Muhammad Reshi died in the explosion while the injured kid Muzamil is undergoing treatment at SKIMS Soura,” he added.Police after combing the area soon after the incident said they have apprehensions that more shells may be present in the area and they will ensure that no such incident occur in future.The tragic incident triggered massive protests in the area and people demanded investigation into the matter.
The unexploded shells have claimed several lives all across Jammu and Kashmir in past. In May 2014 a minor girl Simran Reyaz was killed while her brother lost her leg when an unexploded shell went off in Drang village near Tosamaidan Budgam. Two scrap dealers Abdul Salam Tantray and Muhammad Yousuf Malik killed were also killed in 2009 in Shinglipora village in Budgam district in the same kind of incident and again in the 2010 twelve year old Tufail Ahmad, 12, died on spot when an explosive device bursts at MohallaChandyal in Sangoit area of Mendhar Poonch. In the same year, a minor Iftikar Ahmed died and his brother ShaukatHussain sustained injuries while fiddling with a live grenade at a firing range in Berda village in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch. (CNS)