SRINAGAR: At least two soldiers have died near the Line of Control in Kashmir as the fresh spell of snowfall continued Friday.
Trade across the LoC – which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan – has also been suspended due to the snow.
“Two jawans were killed due to weather vagary at Padam Post in Nougam sector,” the Press Trust of India quoted Army spokesman, Col B Pandey as having said.
But he said the exact details of the incident were not known as communication had broken down.
However the Hindustan Times reported that the soldiers died of Asphyxiation after inhaling gas generated from a heating equipment while they slept. Citing sources, the newspaper wrote that the Army has also begun an internal probe into the incident.
Col Pandey added that a helicopter, sent to the scene to evacuate the bodies, could not land due to bad weather.
Kashmir valley is witnessing heavy snowfall since yesterday, throwing life out of gear in most parts and affecting road and air travel to and from the region.
Meanwhile the cross-LoC trade was suspended as snowfall blocked the mountainous Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, officials said.
The trade through Kaman Post in Uri sector was suspended after heavy snowfall rendered the route unsafe, they added.
Continuous snowfall has impeded work to clear the road at the earliest, the officials said.
