Casualties of explosion in Grozny were not militants

The residents of Chechnya Zavaraev, Khalukaev and Parmazov, who died from explosion on the dam, were not members of the armed underground, said a local law enforcement source.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that at night on February 24, in the village of Chernorechie, an explosion occurred on the dam of the Chernorechensk Reservoir, which killed, according to locals, three persons.

"The three men, who were lost on the dam, were identified back on February 24. Apparently, the explosion occurred when the fougasse was on the ground, because the casualties' lower body parts, starting from the abdomen down, were actually torn into pieces. They were identified as citizens of Chechnya named Zavaraev, Khalukaev and Parmazov. None of them had been known as a member of illegal armed formations," the above law enforcement source told "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to the version of law enforcers, the casualties tried to plant their improvised explosive device (IED) into the pipe in the dam, but it blew up too early.

Local observers treat the incident on the dam in Chernorechie as confusing and strange. "If militants tried to blow the dam up, it could be explained by their intention to harm the authorities or something else. But, as far as I know, the casualties were ordinary citizens. What was their motive, it's not clear," said the head of a local NGO, who wished to remain anonymous.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.