Victim ITBP: 11 hurt in grenade blast

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Express News Service

Posted online: Friday , May 16, 2008 at 11:40:31
Updated: Friday , May 16, 2008 at 11:40:31

Chandigarh, May 15 An indo-tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawan lost his hand and 10 others sustained injuries when a handgrenade prematurely went off during a training session in the Raipur Rani firing range today. The condition of three jawans is stated to be critical. The blast occurred when new recruits were being trained in lobbing handgrenades.

This is the second such incident in the past two weeks. On May 2, an ITBP official died while 11 were seriously injured when a handgrenade prematurely went off during a field firing training near Bhond Mandley village in Raipur Rani block.

The grenades that went off in both the cases are of the same make: HP36.

ITBP sources present in the hospital confirmed that there was a manufacturing defect in the grenades causing them to prematurely explode.

“The grenades are supposed to go off four seconds after release. But they detonate within a second. The seniors have been made aware of these substandard explosives but they have not paid any heed,” sources said.

The incident occurred around 3.30 pm. Around 150 new recruits from ATC, Ludhiana, 26 Battalion, had gathered for a training in lobbing handgrenades.

The instructor, Inspector Lokesh Yadav, took a handgrenade in his hand and pulled its pin out. The grenade was still in his hand when it went off blowing his hand to pieces.

“Yadav fell to the ground unconscious. Ten of the new recruits, who were standing next to him, sustained splinter injuries,” said a recruit. The injured included Lokesh Kumar (32), Sanjay Ikka (20), Babu Ram (40), Nirmal Kumar (26), Dev Anand (22), Ravi Devgun (22), Suryavanshi Bilash (21), Abdul Sikender Ali (21), Sudhakar Babu (38), Mohinder Singh (38) and Dalip Singh (40).

They were rushed to Naraingarh hospital where they were given first aid and immediately referred to hospital.

ITBP officials, meanwhile, dismissed the incidents as an accident. They denied that there was any problem with the grenades. “A Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the matter. We will be able to comment only after the report is out,” they said.

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