India issues demarche to Pak over LoC shelling, Pak also reacts
New Delhi: India on Monday issued a strong demarche to Pakistan over the killing of three civilians, including a minor, by Pakistani troops in a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.
The three people were killed when Pakistani forces resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on Monday.
“A strong demarche was made to the Pakistan side on the killing of three innocent Indian civilians,” said a source. Demarche is a diplomatic note, generally issued to lodge protest over any action of development.
Last Sunday, Keran sector was the scene of a deadly operation in which five elite army commandos laid down their lives while eliminating a group of infiltrating militants.
There have been frequent incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani side since India announced its decision to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August last year.
Indian troops have also been retaliating to Pakistani actions.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also summoned Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and lodged a protest over the alleged ceasefire violation by the Indian troops along the Line of Control that killed a civilian.
The Foreign Office said that Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri summoned Ahluwalia and “condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations” in Dhudnial, Rakhchikri, Chirikot and Baroh Sectors on April 12.
Chaudhry said that a two-year-old boy was killed in Dhudnial Sector and in Rakhchikri and Chirikot Sectors, two civilians were injured respectively.
The FO alleged that the Indian forces along the LoC and Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons which still continues.
Chaudhry said that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from Kashmir, according to FO.
He also called upon the Indian side to respect the ceasefire understanding; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations and maintain peace on the LoC and the WB.
Meanwhile, Pakistan army opened fire and shelled forward posts and villages along the Line of Control and International Border in Poonch and Kathua districts, drawing retaliation from Indian troops, officials said.
Mortar shelling from across the border had left three civilians dead on Saturday.
Officials said shelling from the Pakistan Army started in Mendhar sector along the LoC in Poonch this morning and was going on when last reports came in.
Pakistani Rangers also violated the ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages in different villages of Hiranagar sector overnight.
The firing from Pakistan started in Chandwa and adjoining areas around 9.45 pm on Sunday and continued till 4 am, the officials said, adding the BSF retaliated effectively.
There was no report of any casualty in the firing, the officials said. (PTI)
