Army officer killed in IED blast along LoC, soldier injured in Pak firing

Our Correspondent
Rajouri, February 16

An army officer was killed and a soldier suffered injuries on Saturday while defusing and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on Line of Control in Rajouri.

The Major-rank officer was defusing the IED which had been planted by terrorists. The officer is from the Corps of Engineers. 

The blast killed the officer and injured a soldier who was evacuated to hospital, officials said.

The IED was planted 1.5 km inside the Line of Control in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district.

The army has confirmed that it was an IED blast and not a BAT action.

The IED blast came two days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist rammed an explosive-laden SUV into a bus carrying them in Pulwama district in south Kashmir. This was the second IED attack along the LoC in the same sector since January.

On January 11, two Army personnel, including a major, were killed in Naushera sector of Rajouri.

Soldier injured in Pak firing 

A soldier was injured after Pakistani troops fired from small arms on forward posts along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, officials said. 

The unprovoked firing from across the border started in the Naushera sector around 1600 hours, prompting strong retaliation by Indian troops, they said.   

The exchange of fire between the two sides is continuing when last reports were received, the officials said.

They said a soldier was injured when he was hit by a bullet in the Kalal area of the sector. He was immediately shifted to a hospital.  

The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively, the officials said. — With PTI inputs