LoC flare-up: Army Major, three Jawans killed in cross LoC firing
Rajouri: An Army major and three soldiers were killed when armies of India and Pakistan exchange fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Rajouri district, officials said on Saturday. The official added that one Indian soldier was injured too.
According to reports, from 12.15 PM on Saturday, 120 Infantry Brigade encountered heavy shelling in Keri battalion area which lead to death of the three Indian soldiers.
As per Army authorities, one Major and two Jawans of 2 SIKH regiment were killed and one injured at Brat Galla sector of Keeri.
The slain soldiers were identified as Major Prafulla, Sepoy Pargarh and Sepoy Gurmeet Singh while as Lance Naik Gurmeet Singh was injured in the incident. However, LN Gurmeet Singh also succumbed to his injuries, sources added.
Indian troops were retaliating effectively when last reports came in, said the source.
The latest exchange of firing at such a scale has come after nearly a month. Early on November 16, the Pakistani troops had resorted to mortar shelling in Shahpur and Degwar areas of Poonch forcing the district administration to order the closure of schools in the areas as a precautionary measure.
The borders skirmish had led to suspension of cross LoC travel and trade on Poonch-Rawalakote road through Chakkan Da Bagh for nearly four months.
At least a dozen people including civilians and soldiers have been killed in nearly 300 incidents of ceasefire violations along the border in 2017 so far.
Pertinently, ADGP Indian Army in its latest tweet on December 21 claimed that Indian army conducted successful surgical strike on launchpads across the border.
“#IndianArmy successfully conducted surgical strikes on terror launchpads across the LoC in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir(PoK) using ground forces, inflicting cant casualties on terrorist which was an unprecented action,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has paid rich tributes to the Army Major and three jawans who were killed in an incident of cross border shelling.
The Chief Minister has conveyed her heartfelt sympathies to the families of slain soldiers.
KV Correspondent
