Part of missile falls near village during defence drill in Jaisalmer, no casualties

A portion of a missile fell near Bhadariya village in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district during a routine defence training exercise at the Pokhran Field Firing Range on Saturday, officials said. No injuries or property damage were reported, though the incident briefly caused panic among local residents who heard a loud explosion.

Defence sources said the missile, which was part of a scheduled firing drill, veered slightly off its intended trajectory and landed nearly 500 metres from the village in the Lathi area. People in nearby hamlets rushed out of their homes after hearing the blast, but authorities quickly assured them there was no danger.

Lathi SHO Rajendra Kumar said the fall occurred within the authorised firing zone and was part of routine military exercises conducted at Pokhran. Soon after the incident, teams from the Army, Air Force, and local police reached the site, cordoned off the area and retrieved the missile component. It was later transported back to the firing range for further examination.

Pokhran, situated in the Thar desert, is one of India’s most important weapons testing and training ranges, where missile trials and large-scale field drills are conducted frequently. Officials said that while such exercises follow strict safety protocols, the procedures are being reviewed after the incident to ensure greater precaution during future training activities.