Army denies any firing at Deuri Dumri Field firing ranges

: With reports claiming that three civilians were killed when a mortar shell allegedly overshot an Indian Army firing range, the Kolkata-based Eastern Command of the Army, on Thursday, claimed that no mortar firing was done at Deuri Dumri Field Firing Ranges on March 8, 2023, and that it is providing all support for the investigation of the tragedy.

The Army extended condolences to the families of those who died and sustained injuries owing to the unfortunate incident near Gulerbed Village located under Barachatti Police Station, Gaya, Bihar.

The Indian Army claimed that the incident has been “misreported by certain sections of the media that the deaths occurred due to Army mortar firing”. It also clarified that all clearances, on a notified firing range, are obtained on a daily basis prior to the firing from local civil administration and Police. “No such clearance was asked for mortar firing on 08 March, 23,” the army statement read.Commenting on videos on social media showing a circular-shaped hole in the ground, the Army said: “Mortar shell detonation on impact does not leave such signatures. This could be a case of unauthorised collection of a mortar blind shell which fell in the designated impact area on an earlier date, and efforts to dismantle it to extract scrap metal on March 8, 2023, for sale. This could have triggered the detonation, causing the unfortunate accident.