Four residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were killed in a suspected explosion along the LoC in Poonch amid competing claims over whether they were militants who died in an IED blast or civilians killed by Indian security forces.
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have not formally reacted to the development, but officials said on the condition of anonymity that the deaths were caused by a suspected IED blast in a forward village along the LoC in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.
They said the blast reportedly occurred in Satwal-Naki during the movement of a group of people along the Pakistan side of the LoC.
An official claimed the deceased were militants who died in a landmine explosion while trying to infiltrate.
Social media accounts linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee, which is spearheading the anti-establishment agitation in PoK, said the slain quartet were civilians who were killed by the Indian Army.
"In the area of Aamitwal, Mandla Madarpur, as a result of an IED blast carried out by the Indian Army, four of our young men were martyred, among whom is also included our great resistance comrade Faizan Sughra (Saghheer)," an X post by JAAC Updates AJK said. It said the four were installing water pipes when they were hit by the explosion.