A young married couple were seriously injured in Banteay Meanchey province on Friday after a grenade exploded while they were picking vegetables in a forest behind Svay Chek commune’s Khvav Lech village, said Song Sokhon, Svay Chek district deputy police chief.

Sokhon told The Post on Sunday that the couple, unaware the lump of metal they had come across was a grenade, sustained serious injuries when they threw it into the trees and it exploded.

“They suffered serious injuries but survived after relatives rushed them to the district referral hospital. They went to pick vegetables to sell at the market, only to spot the ordnance and throw it into the trees, where it exploded. For now, they are out of danger."

“Authorities have regularly and on numerous occasions informed people to stay clear of unexploded ordnance. We go to communities, schools and pagodas, to tell people not to touch unexploded ordnance and to report it to authorities,” Sokhon said.

He identified the couple as 17-year-old Nim Thuot and his 20-year-old wife Phea Phan from Khvav Lech village. He said they had regularly entered the forest to pick vegetables but had never before encountered unexploded ordnance.

Heng Ratana, the director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

However, he wrote on Facebook that at around 11am on the day of the incident, the couple had come across the grenade only 1,600m from their village.

“It is very scary to see that Cambodian children continue to bleed due to the vestiges of war. Two people in Banteay Meanchey's Svay Chek district were seriously wounded late last week."

“I appeal to all . . . please do not touch unexploded ordnances and report it to the police or CMAC for clearing,” he said.

From January to March 16, this year, the number of deaths and injuries due to unexploded ordnance totalled 30.

“From March 12-16, five accidents were recorded – two in Oddar Meanchey province and one each in Battambang, Ratanakkiri and Tbong Khmum, leaving three people dead and four disabled,” a March 15 report by the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority said.