December 18, 2024: Tragedy struck the Indian Army on Wednesday when two soldiers lost their lives in a deadly explosion at the Mahajan field firing range in Bikaner, Rajasthan, during a routine training exercise. The explosion occurred while the soldiers were loading ammunition into a tank, resulting in their immediate deaths.

According to news agency PTI, the explosion was heard suddenly, sending shockwaves through the area. Senior officers, including Circle Officer Narendra Kumar Poonia, quickly arrived at the site to assess the situation. Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion was caused by a mistake during the ammunition loading process.

“There were three soldiers practicing with the tank when the charger exploded while they were loading ammunition,” a defense spokesperson confirmed. The deceased soldiers were identified as Ashutosh Mishra from Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, and Jitendra from Dausa, Rajasthan. A third soldier, who sustained serious injuries, was airlifted to a hospital in Chandigarh for treatment.

The bodies of the fallen soldiers have been sent to the Military Hospital in Suratgarh for post-mortem. The incident has shaken the local military community, and an inquiry is underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

The Army continues to provide support to the families of the deceased soldiers during this difficult time.