1 killed, 5 troopers wounded in accidental blast in India

  An Indian army trooper was killed and five others were wounded Thursday in an accidental blast in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The blast took place inside an army camp in Zachadara-Handwara of Kupwara district, around 95 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "In an accidental blast that took place this morning inside an Indian army camp in Handwara, a trooper was killed and five others were wounded,"said a police spokesman. "The wounded troopers were immediately removed to Drogmulla hospital. However, of them two were later referred to Srinagar base camp for specialized treatment." Reports said the troopers were assembling weapons and ammunition for an insurgency operation, during which the mishandling of a hand grenade took place. Indian-controlled Kashmir is considered as one of the highest militarized regions in the world. Officially, India does not reveal the actual number of its troops deployed in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Rights groups say that India has deployed more than 700,000 troopers and paramilitary troopers in the region to counter militants fighting in the region. A guerrilla war is also going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Gunfight between militants and stationed Indian troops takes place intermittently.