Pak troops shell LoC areas in Poonch
Army major, BSF official injured in Rajouri
Jammu: The Pakistan army violated ceasefire for a third consecutive day Thursday, shelling forward posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district inviting a strong retaliation from Indian forces, officials said.
The year 2018 witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations — 2,936 — by Pakistan troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border.
“The Pakistani army resorted to firing and shelling on forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector Thursday morning,” officials said, adding there were no casualties or injuries on the Indian side.
Indian troops guarding the border retaliated strongly, he said.
On Wednesday as well, Pakistani troops had fired on and shelled the Kalal forward area in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district twice, they said.
The continuous shelling and firing on villages has set in a fear psychosis among the border dwellers.
With the latest incident, Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Poonch seven of first 10 days of the new year.
The Pakistani army fired on forward posts along the LoCPoonch district on Tuesday as well.
Despite repeated calls, made during Indo-Pak flag meetings, for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquillity, the Indo-Pak border areas witnessed shelling and firing.
Meanwhile, an army officer and a Border Security Force (BSF) man were injured in an attack carried out by Pakistan army in forward area of Rajouri district on Thursday.
Official sources said that on Thursday at about 13:45 hours, a joint team of Indian Army 15 JAKLI and 59 BSF launched a search operation in forward area of Village Tarkundi.
During the search operation, bullets were fired from forest area on operation party as a result of which Major JoginderIhirwar and Head Constable Ali Mumtaz of BSF were seriously injured.
Both the injured were taken to a nearby health facility where from critically wounded army major was airlifted to military’s command hospital in Udhampur.
Station House Officer (SHO), ManjakoteBarkatQureshi said that the duo were injured apparently due to firing by Pakistan army.
The chief of northern commander, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, had Monday visited forward areas along the LoC and reviewed security situation in Jammu and Rajouri districts, officials said.
Accompanied by White Knight corps commander Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh visited forward posts of Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation, they said. (PTI)
Press Trust of India
