A mortar shell exploded in the hands of two children who were collecting fire wood in the mountains of Chuparyal in Matta, Swat on Thursday. Officials said that several children were picking fire wood in the mountains for use at home. Two children, identified as Hamidullah and Muhammad, sighted a mortar shell and tried to carry it to another place, but the shell exploded in their hands and injured them badly. Hamidullah was taken to Peshawar due to his serious condition, but Muhammad was admitted to the Saidu Sharif hospital, where his condition is stated to be stable. Police and army officials are silent over the incident, but the locals believe that the mortar shell was either abandoned by the Taliban militants or fired by security forces.