Rajasthan: 2 soldiers killed in tank training accident at Mahajan Firing Range in Bikaner

Two Indian Army soldiers were killed, and one was injured during a training exercise at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The incident occurred when a battery burst while the soldiers were loading ammunition into a tank, as confirmed by the Rajasthan-based defence PRO.

New Delhi: In an unfortunate incident, the Indian Army on Wednesday lost two soldiers and one injured during a training exercise at the Mahajan Field Firing Range (MFFR) in Rajasthan.

Rajasthan-based defence PRO Lt Col Amitabh Sharma confirmed the incident that occurred at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan during armoured training exercise. Sources in the Army said that the incident happened when the soldiers were loading the ammunition in the tank and that time the battery burst. 

The bodies of the soldiers are being taken to Suratgarh military station while the injured have been taken to Chandigarh. 

The deceased have been identified as Havildar Jitendra Mishra and Jitendra, hailing from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh and Dausa in Rajasthan, respectively.  They were from the 46 Armoured Corps of the Indian Army.  Soon after the incident, local police rushed to the spot of the blast.

“There were three soldiers who were practicing with the tank. Ashutosh Mishra and Jitendra died in the explosion. The injured soldier has been taken to Chandigarh in a helicopter,” Circle Officer Lunkaransar (Bikaner) Narendra Kumar Poonia said.

In the last four days, this was the second incident at the Mahajan field firing range.

On December 15, Gunner Chandra Prakash Patel kwas illed while hooking the gun with the gun towing Vehicle wherein, suddenly the gun towing vehicle lost traction on the ramp of the gun pit and slipped backward. 

“However, despite efforts by medical personnel, he died while receiving treatment.”

A court of inquiry has been set up to ascertain the cause of the incident. 

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur, Gunner Chandra Prakash Patel was part of the 199th Medium Regiment.

He is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son.