At least four armed forces personnel were injured in a freak accident when a blast occurred in an Army truck in Cantonment area here on Saturday.

The incident which occurred at 10.15 am sent shockwaves across the local residents, army authorities and police. The intensity of the blast was so strong that the right hand of Sunil Pamang, a soldier of 68 Gorkha Regiment (GR) had to be amputated as his palm was blown off.

He is currently undergoing admitted at local Army hospital.

Talking to The Pioneer, Inspector General (IG) of Garhwal Range, Sanjay Gunjyal ruled out possibility of involvement of any subversive elements in the incident and termed it an accident.

He said the blast took place when the soldiers of GR were going to the market to procure vegetables when a projectile like object went off at Ghangoda area of the cantonment. The in-charge of Cant police station area Kamlesh Namgoori said only one soldier was injured seriously while three others suffered minor injuries.

Senior army and police officials rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area.

The blast site was protected by the armed forces. They did not allow anyone including media and local police from visiting the site.

The intelligence unit of army is also said to be investigating the case. The question which is intriguing common people is as to how explosive material was able to make its way into a vehicle meant for transporting vegetables.

It is probably first incidence of a bomb going off inside a high security army area in Dehradun.