Four Cousins Killed in LoC Landmine Blast, Families Deny Infiltration Claims

Their families and local authorities have strongly disputed Indian media reports describing the victims as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants who were attempting to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir after crossing the LoC in the Poonch sector.

Residents and relatives said the four men had been repairing water pipes connected to a natural spring that supplies water to their homes in Mehndla village, a settlement located close to the de facto border. According to local accounts, the group inadvertently entered a mined area, triggering a powerful explosion that killed all four men on the spot.

The deceased have been identified as Sardar Faizan Sagheer, who was reportedly affiliated with the JKLF, and his cousins, Sardar Ishtiaq, Sardar Asim Rafiq and Sardar Waqas Sharif. Family members maintained that the victims were civilians engaged in routine community work when the blast occurred and had no involvement in cross-border movement or militant activities.

Their statements directly contradict earlier media reports attributed to Indian security officials, which claimed that at least four infiltrating militants, including a senior commander of the banned LeT, had been killed when a landmine detonated as they attempted to cross the LoC. According to those reports, the group was allegedly trying to enter the Nangi Takri area in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from PoJK when its members stepped on a minefield forming part of India's anti-infiltration grid.

Indian sources had identified the deceased as Muhammad Ishtiaq, Muhammad Waqas, Muhammad Asim and Muhammad Faizan, all reportedly residents of the Hajira area. Security sources further alleged that Faizan was a senior LeT commander.

The fatal explosion occurred amid heightened tensions and increased security monitoring along the LoC. Earlier on Monday, another explosion, believed to have been caused by an improvised explosive device (IED), was reported in the Satwal-Naki area near the zero line in the Krishna Ghati sector. The blast reportedly occurred on the Pakistani side of the LoC while a group of people was moving through the area. Initial reports confirmed casualties, although officials said it remained unclear whether those affected were civilians, infiltrators or security personnel.

Following the incidents, security forces intensified surveillance and operational preparedness across sensitive stretches of the Krishna Ghati sector. Troops and border units were placed on heightened alert to guard against possible infiltration attempts along the frontier.

In a related development, Indian Army personnel recovered two rusted landmines near the border fence in the Basoni area of the Mendhar sector during track-construction work on Monday morning. The devices were subsequently destroyed in controlled explosions by Army bomb-disposal experts. Officials said nearly a dozen landmines had been detected and neutralised in the area over the previous week.

The latest incidents have once again highlighted the dangers posed by the heavily mined terrain along the LoC. Large sections of the frontier remain mined as part of a multilayered anti-infiltration network. Security officials have noted that heavy rainfall can dislodge mines from their original positions, causing them to surface unexpectedly or move into areas accessible to civilians. This increases the risks faced by both local residents and security personnel.

The Jammu region has experienced persistent rainfall over the past few days, triggering flash floods and landslides in several areas, including locations close to the LoC. The adverse weather conditions have further complicated movement and raised concerns about the potential displacement of mines in vulnerable border areas.