Special Correspondent
Defence spokesman rubbishes militants’ claim
TELWAN (ANANTNAG): At least three persons, one of them a civilian, were killed and over 40 others injured when one of the biggest ordnance depots in Kashmir caught fire on Saturday at Khundru village near here. The authorities have sounded a high alert as thousands of people in 15 villages abandoned their houses.
Eyewitnesses told The Hindu that around 8.30 a.m. there were deafening sounds which shook the entire area. Soon it was ascertained that explosions had taken place in 21 Field Ordnance Depot in Khundru village, around 75 km from Srinagar.
People asked to leave
The depot is located inside a heavily guarded Army camp. As the explosions continued to rock the area, the police rushed to the spot and asked the people living within a radius of 5 km to leave. “Within minutes over 15 villages were deserted and only the disabled were left,” said Muhammad Iqbal of Trahpoo village, adjacent to the depot. Another villager said that women and children cried in panic and soon thousands of people left for Anantnag, where the district administration made temporary arrangements for them.
Area sealed
The Army, police and the CRPF immediately sealed the area and did not allow civilians and news reporters to enter. At least 10 fire-fighters were injured, some of them seriously, while trying to quell the fire. “As we entered there was a big bang and I fell down,” said fire service constable Saurav Singh groaning with pain at an Anantnag hospital.
This correspondent witnessed massive explosions and smoke billowing from about half a kilometre from the other side of Khundru village. The Army authorities refused to give details of the incident and how many people were in the camp at the time of fire.
However, sources said that scores of people, mostly Army men, were feared killed. Civilians who worked as labourers in the depot are also feared killed.
A civil engineer had a miraculous escape as he was late for work. “At one point time of time at least 1,500 people, including civilians, work at the depot and today was ordnance inspection day and everybody was supposed to be there by 8.30 a.m. However, I was a kilometre away when the first blast took place so I returned,” he said.
Fire continues
Defence spokesman Lt. Col. A.K. Mathur could only confirm the death of a soldier and a civilian.
But sources said three bodies had been recovered and nearly 40 people were injured. They said that fire might continue till Sunday judging from the size of the depot.
Two militant organisations, Hizb-ul Mujahideen and Jamiatul Mujahideen, have claimed responsibility for the “attack” on the depot. Lt. Col. Mathur rubbished the claim, saying “it is merely an accident.”
Azad expresses concern
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed concern over the accident.