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Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar
Eight persons, including six soldiers, were killed in a massive explosion at Village Hangalpawa near Hapatnar in the southern Kashmir district of Anantnag late on Wednesday afternoon.
Police said 13 others, including three soldiers, were wounded in the explosion and have been shifted to Anantnag.
They said a bus in which soldiers were also travelling hit a landmine near Hangalpawa, causing the explosion. The bus was on its way from Hapatnar to Anantnag town.
A senior police officer told rediff.com on telephone from Anantnag that Rashtriya Rifles personnel had boarded the bus minutes before the explosion, which shook the area.
"Five armymen and two civilians died on the spot. One critically wounded soldier died on the way to hospital," the officer reported after visiting the spot.
So far no organisation has claimed responsibility for the blast. Security forces were rushed to the spot and encircled the village to conduct searches.
In another incident, three soldiers were killed in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops on Rustum post in the Uri sector of Jammu region early on Wednesday.
Police sources said Pakistani artillery rained shells in and around the post on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The army returned the fire.
Militants late on Tuesday gunned down a village headman identified as Mehmood Khan at Village Inderbugh Lalpora in the northern Kupwara district.
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