Soldier dies in mine blast

Jammu: A soldier died along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati (KG) sector in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Friday after accidentally stepping over a mine during a patrol, said a security officer. During monsoon, anti-personnel mines drift away from their place and pose a threat to soldiers on the LoC.
The deceased soldier has been identified as Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya, a native of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh.
“On the night of Friday, Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya was on operational duty in Krishna Ghati Sector. While moving during the duty, Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya was critically injured in an accidental mine blast. He was immediately evacuated to the nearest medical facility but later succumbed to his injuries,” said a defence spokesman.
Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya, aged 27 years, belonged to village Ghumarwin in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. He is survived by his mother Vanita Devi.
“Sepoy Kamal Dev Vaidya was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” said the spokesman.
Meanwhile, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) marked dummy aeroplane balloon was also recovered near the LoC in the KG sector on Friday. However, nothing incriminating was found from it. It was the seventh such aeroplane shaped balloon found in J&K, Punjab and Rajasthan since March this year.
On March 30, a similar balloon with the letters PIA written on it was found in Mendhar in Poonch. Similar balloons were found in the Hiranagar area of Kathua on March 9 and in Gharsana, Rajasthan on March 11. On March 16, it was recovered in the Bhalwal area of Jammu and ten days later on March 26, another similar balloon was found at Dera Baba Nanak, Batala in Punjab. Three days later on March 29, it was again recovered in the Kanachak area of Jammu.