UMERKOT, Nov 21: A 12-year-old boy died when he stumbled upon what was said to be a landmine in a field in Raan village near Chhachhro on Saturday morning.

Asad, son of Yar Muhammad Samejo, saw a strange object which he thought was a toy. The object exploded, tearing his body into pieces.

Villager Mohammad Ishaq said the explosion was so loud that it was heard in places about six kilometres away. He said the ordnance was possibly a landline laid in border areas during the Kargil conflict.

Most of the mines were eventually taken out but a few remained hidden under sand dunes that kept surfacing from time to time, he said.

This correspondent visited Gadhro village, 70 kilometres from here, and met Anwar Ali, 24, who lost his arms and right eye in 2001 when a landmine had exploded in his hands. He had found it in a field and tried to pull off its pin.

Three cows of Akbar Rahimoo were killed in Jamal Ji Dhani village when they stepped on a landmine in a meadow. Attai Samejo, a teenager, was killed by a similar device in Raan village.