Two soldiers of the Indian Army were killed and another was injured in an ammunition explosion during a tank training exercise at the Mahajan field firing range in Bikaner, Rajasthan, on December 18, 2024.

The incident occurred while the soldiers were loading ammunition into a tank when a charger exploded, resulting in the immediate deaths of Ashutosh Mishra and Jitendra, while a third soldier sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Chandigarh for treatment.

The explosion was sudden, prompting immediate responses from senior military officials at the site. Initial investigations suggest that a mistake during the ammunition loading process may have caused the tragic incident.

The bodies of the deceased soldiers have been sent to a military hospital in Suratgarh for further arrangements. This incident marks a significant concern regarding safety protocols during military training exercises, especially following another recent fatality at the same location involving Havildar Chandra Prakash Patel just days prior.