Jakarta – The grenade that exploded killing two boys and injuring another in Bogor, West Java, on Thursday is believed to have been used in military exercises, a senior Army officer has said.
Bogor Suryakencana Regional Military Command chief Col. Novi Helmy Prasetya said grenades were used in military training and the area where the boys found the device was believed to be the Cibungbulang shooting range around Mount Kapur in Ciampea. Novi said military training grounds were located far from residential areas.
"I appeal to the community, especially parents, to remind children not to play around shooting ranges because they are restricted areas. Civilians are banned from these locations," he said.
"If any civilian finds [suspect] objects such as grenades, please report them to the military. Don't bring them home," he added.
Previously, Bogor Regency Military District commander Lt. Col. Harry Eko Sutrisno said the boys, identified as Muhammad Mubarok, 10, Muhammad Doni, 14, and Khoirul Islami, 10, had probably found the old, rusted grenade while playing in the hilly military training grounds.
They reportedly took the grenade with them to one of their homes and played with it before the device exploded at around 2 p.m. on Thursday.
The explosion killed Muhammad Mubarok immediately and injured the other two. The injured boys were taken to Leuwiliang Hospital. However, Doni later died at around 9 p.m.
Wiwik Wahyuningsih, director of Leuwiliang Hospital, told The Jakarta Post that Doni died before he could undergo emergency surgery to remove shrapnel from his legs. The surviving victim, Khoirul Islami, is currently being treated at the hospital for severe leg injuries. (gis)