Soldier dead, 2 injured in accidental grenade blast during training in J&K’s Poonch

JAMMU: A 34-year-old soldier died while two others were injured in an accidental grenade explosion during a training activity along the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K’s Poonch district on Wednesday, Indian Army said while refuting reports of an IED blast along the LoC.
The denial came after initial reports — stating that a jawan was killed and seven others wounded in an IED explosion in Poonch’s Mendhar area — started making the rounds.
As part of Mission Readiness Training, soldiers were carrying out training drill with live ammunition on Wednesday morning when the accident took place. “The training was being carried out by a qualified instructor when a live grenade got accidentally actuated, grievously wounding the instructor and injuring two other trainee soldiers,” said a source.
Confirming the mishap, a Jammu-based defence spokesperson said, “Around 9.15am on May 22, during a training activity at a military post in Mendhar sector, one soldier was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries. Naik Shreeshailappa Balabatti (34), from Karnataka’s Bagalkot, joined the Army in 2005. He is survived by his wife.”
“Two more soldiers who suffered non-grievous injuries have been evacuated to the nearest military hospital and are in a stable condition,” the defence spokesperson added.
A detailed investigation into the accident is underway to take corrective measures, said a source.