An army soldier was killed and two were injured on Thursday in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The slain soldier was an Agniveer, sources said.

The sources said the three were shifted to a hospital following injuries. One of them was in a serious condition and succumbed to his wounds, they said.

The death occurred at a time when forest fires in Balakote and Mendhar set off multiple mine explosions this week. Officials said the fires caused extensive damage to the vegetation but there were no casualties.

Security forces were deployed in numbers in the fire-hit forest belt to prevent Pakistan from using the opportunity to push in militants.

It is not clear whether the mine that exploded on Thursday in Nowshera was planted by the army or the militants.

The army has mined vast swathes in areas close to the LoC to prevent infiltration or sabotage by the neighbouring country.