LoC flare-up: Five soldiers among six dead as India, Pak guns roar
A child was killed and a woman injured as the armies of India and Pakistan traded heavy fire and shelling on Monday on the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Pooch districts while an army man was killed in the exchange of gunfire. Pakistan also claimed that four of its soldiers had drowned due to the border shelling.
An official said that Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked targeting of the Indian positions on the LoC in Tarkundi sector of Rajouri and Balakote areas of Poonch today morning.
A five-year-old child, identified as Syeda, was killed after a shell hit her house in Behroti area of Balakote sector of Poonch district. A woman was seriously injured in Manjkote sector of Rajouri. There were reports of injuries to some animals as well.
Pakistan, initiating the attack, resorted to unprovoked targeting of the Indian positions on the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector of Jammu and Kashmir, defence ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta said.
An army soldier was killed and another injured after the armies of India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire and shelling along the Line of Control in Poonch. He said that the deceased and injured soldiers belong to Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry regiment.
“Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri sector at around 7:30 am today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. In the fire exchange, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was grievously injured when mortar shells landed on his bunker. He was evacuated to the MI room where he succumbed to his injuries. Naik Muddasar Ahmed 37 years, belonged to Village Duchoo, Tehsil Tral, District Pulwama, J&K and is survived by his wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children,’’ said a defence official.
On 10 July, Pakistan Army had targeted villages and forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector with mortars and small arms, damaging a trade facilitation centre and police barracks.
In the shelling, a trade facilitation centre and police barracks were damaged. On 8 July also, Pakistani army had violated the ceasefire and resorted to mortar shelling and firing along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district in which an army jawan and his wife were killed and their three daughters suffered injuries.
There were 23 incidents of ceasefire violation, one Border Action Team (BAT) attack and two infiltration bids by Pakistan in June in which four people, including three jawans, were killed and 12 injured. Pakistan also claimed that Indian troops targeted a vehicle of the Pakistan Army moving along the Neelum River at Athmuqam on Sunday.
“The vehicle fell into the river and four soldiers embraced martyrdom in the Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire violation,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The body of one soldier has been recovered while search for the other three is underway.
The attack was similar to an earlier assault on a civilian bus in the same area last year, according to the army’s media wing. The ISPR said that Pakistani forces had responded to the ceasefire violation. Pakistani and Indian troops also exchanged firing along the LoC in Uri, which left a soldier injured.
KV Correspondent
