Four teenagers from the same family, killed in an instant
In the Kashmore district of Sindh, four cousins between the ages of twelve and sixteen lost their lives when an object they had carried home from a nearby field — a mortar shell, though they could not have known it — detonated in their hands. It is an ancient and recurring tragedy: the instruments of war outlasting the conflicts that made them, lying dormant in the earth until the curious and the innocent find them. The blast that killed these children in an instant also shattered windows across the village, as if the world itself recoiled at what had happened.
- Four teenagers from the same family were killed instantly when an unexploded mortar shell they had retrieved from a field detonated at their home in Datoo Khan Golo, Kashmore.
- The explosion was powerful enough to shatter shopkeepers' windows blocks away, sending a wave of terror through a community that had no warning and no time to grieve before the emergency began.
- Two other young people — Babu and Tariq — were rushed to Kashmore Hospital with serious wounds as the facility declared an emergency to receive them.
- Police cordoned off the area, the superintendent arrived with a heavy contingent of officers, and a bomb disposal squad began sweeping the surrounding fields for additional unexploded ordnance.
- Authorities have pledged support to the bereaved families and launched a formal investigation into how a live mortar shell came to be lying undetected in a field where children played.
On a Monday afternoon in the village of Datoo Khan Golo, near Lal Wah Morr in Kashmore, Sindh, four teenagers died when an object they had brought home from a nearby field exploded without warning. The blast was violent enough to shatter windows in shops some distance away. Two others were seriously wounded.
The four who died were Deen Mohammad, sixteen; Barkat Ali, fourteen; and Kashawat and Kala, both twelve — all from the same family. The injured, Babu and Tariq, were rushed to Kashmore Hospital, which declared an emergency to receive them.
Local police said the boys had found a mortar shell lying in a field near their home. Unaware of what it was or the danger it carried, they brought it back with them. It detonated while they were handling it, killing four instantly and wounding the others. The shock wave damaged structures across the immediate area.
Superintendent of Police Mohammad Murad Ghanghro arrived at the scene with a large contingent of officers, cordoned off the area, and confirmed the deaths and injuries. He offered condolences to the families and pledged that authorities would investigate fully and provide whatever support was needed.
A bomb disposal squad has since begun searching the surrounding fields for any additional unexploded ordnance. The incident is a stark reminder of the silent, enduring danger that remnants of conflict leave behind — and of how little protection curiosity alone can offer against them.
In the village of Datoo Khan Golo, near Lal Wah Morr in the Kashmore district of Sindh province, four teenagers died on Monday afternoon when an object they had brought home from a nearby field suddenly detonated. The blast was violent enough that shopkeepers blocks away heard the concussion and watched their windows shatter. Two other young people were seriously wounded.
The dead were Deen Mohammad, sixteen, son of Allah Bux; Barkat Ali, fourteen, son of Abdul Ghafoor; Kashawat, twelve, son of Moula Bux; and Kala, twelve, son of Ranjha. The two injured—Babu and Tariq—were rushed to a hospital in Kashmore for treatment of wounds sustained in the explosion.
According to local police, the teenagers had discovered a mortar shell lying in a field near their village. Not understanding what they had found, or the danger it posed, they carried it back to their home. The device detonated while the children were handling it, killing four instantly and injuring the other two. The blast was powerful enough to be heard across a considerable distance, and the shock wave damaged structures throughout the immediate area.
Superintendent of Police Mohammad Murad Ghanghro arrived at the scene with a heavy contingent of officers and other law enforcement personnel. The area was cordoned off immediately. Kashmore Hospital declared an emergency as the injured were brought in for urgent medical care. The superintendent confirmed that the four teenagers had been killed and that the two injured had been transported to the hospital and were receiving treatment.
The explosion sent a wave of fear through the local community. Residents spoke of the intensity of the blast and the sudden loss of four young people from the same family. The superintendent expressed condolences to the families and pledged that authorities would provide necessary support and investigate the incident fully, with assurances that those responsible would be held accountable.
A bomb disposal squad has begun searching the area to determine whether additional unexploded ordnance remains in the vicinity. Police have launched a formal investigation into how the shell came to be in the field and the circumstances that led to the children bringing it home. The incident underscores the ongoing danger posed by unexploded munitions in regions affected by conflict, and the particular vulnerability of young people who may not recognize such hazards.
Citas Notables
The four teenagers were killed and the injured were immediately shifted to a hospital nearby and provided quick medical support— Superintendent of Police Mohammad Murad Ghanghro
The authorities would provide all necessary support and ensure those responsible would be held accountable— Superintendent of Police Mohammad Murad Ghanghro
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
How does a mortar shell end up lying in a field where children can find it?
In areas touched by conflict or military activity, unexploded ordnance gets left behind. It becomes part of the landscape. Children don't see danger the way adults do—they see an object, something curious, something to investigate.
And no one had warned them? No signs, no community awareness?
Apparently not. The police report suggests the children simply didn't know what they had found. They brought it home the way you might bring home a rock or a piece of metal. There was no malice, no recklessness born of defiance—just ignorance of what the object was.
The blast was heard from a distance. That suggests real force.
Yes. Enough force to kill four teenagers instantly and wound two others. Enough to shatter windows and mirrors in shops blocks away. It was a sudden, complete rupture of an ordinary afternoon.
What happens now to the families?
The superintendent promised support and accountability. But four children from the same family are gone. The investigation will determine how the shell got there, but that won't bring them back. The real question is whether anyone will search for other shells before another family finds one.
Is this common in Pakistan?
Unexploded ordnance is a persistent problem in regions with a history of conflict. It's invisible until it isn't. And children are always the most vulnerable to it.