Explosion kills two minors in Kashmir

Two minors, including a girl, were killed and three women were injured when a suspected explosive material went off at Maloora on Srinagar’s outskirts on Sunday night.

Police said the explosion took place in the house of Mohammed Maqbool Bhat at 8.30 pm. Maloora is the same village where an encounter had taken place in October in which three top Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders were gunned down by security forces.

“Initial reports suggest the boys had brought some material home and started hammering it. It went off, injuring five people, who were rushed to hospital, where two succumbed,” police said.

The slain have been identified as Noor Mohammed, 15, and Bisma, 9. The injured women are Yasmeena, 40, Mumtaz, 16, and Muskaan.

Police are checking whether the explosive material was a leftover from the October encounter or it was picked up from some other place.