8 Pak soldiers killed, 12 others injured as it violates ceasefire in J-K

New Delhi, November 13

At least eight Pakistani soldiers were killed and 12 others injured on Friday after the Indian Army pounded several of their positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir with anti-tank guided missiles and artillery guns in response to unprovoked ceasefire violations in multiple locations by troops of the neighbouring country, military sources said.

The Indian retaliation came after Pakistani forces resorted to heavy shelling in several areas in north Kashmir, killing four security personnel and six civilians.

A number of videos released by the Indian Army showed destruction of several Pakistani positions and bunkers across the LoC with some of them going up in flames following the Indian retaliation.

According to intercepts of Pakistan Army’s communication, those killed included two commandos from its Special Service Group, the sources said.

The sources said at least eight Pakistan army soldiers were killed in India’s retaliatory fire and 12 others sustained injuries.

In addition, a number of Pakistan Army bunkers, fuel dumps and terrorist launch pads across the LoC were destroyed and set on fire, they said.

The sources said Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations in Dawar, Keran, Uri and Naugam.

Pakistan used mortars and other weapons and deliberately targeted civilian areas.

Three Army personnel, a BSF sub-inspector and six civilians were killed in Pakistani action while four security forces personnel and eight civilians were  injured.

“Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC spread across multiple sectors to include Dawar, Keran, Uri and Naugam. Three Indian Army soldiers have been killed in action and three soldiers injured,” Col Kalia said, adding the nation salutes their supreme sacrifice.

A BSF sub-inspector was killed in Haji Peer sector while a jawan was injured, officials said.

Two civilians were killed in Kamalkote sector, also in Uri, while a woman was killed in Balkote area in Haji Peer sector, they added.

They said apart from various places in Uri, the ceasefire violations were reported from Izmarg in Gurez sector of Bandipora district and Keran sector of Kupwara district.

A defence official in Jammu said Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice in Poonch district.

“Around 1345 and 1445 hours today, Pakistani army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in sector in Sawjian in Poonch,” he said, adding Indian troops retaliated in a befitting manner.

Earlier, Col Kalia said the Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid, which was aided by the ceasefire violation, along the LoC in the Keran sector.

“Suspicious movement was observed by our troops at the forward posts along the LoC in Keran sector (in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district) today. The suspected infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops,” he said, adding.

This was the second infiltration attempt within a week. The earlier unsuccessful bid in Machil sector during the intervening night of November 7- 8 was foiled in which three militants were killed.

Three Army soldiers, including a Captain, and a BSF jawan also lost their lives during the operation.

In New Delhi, BSF officials said SI Rakesh Doval, 39, deployed at the force’s artillery battery at the LoC in Baramulla was killed after he sustained head injury in the firing around 1315 hours.

Constable Vasu Raja sustained splinter injuries on his arms and cheeks. He was deployed at the same forward defended location, they said, adding the constable is stable.

Almost all BSF units along the LoC are facing heaving firing since morning and an effective retaliation by the troops, artillery regiment and support weapons has been mounted, a senior officer of the force said.

The BSF works under the operational command of the Army at the LoC.

“The Sub-Inspector has made supreme sacrifice in line of duty while facing heavy ceasefire violation from the enemy. The sub-officer was a resident of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand and joined the border force in 2004,” the officer said.

Doval is survived by his father, wife and a nine-year-old daughter, he said.

According to official data, Pakistan has resorted to 4,052 incidents of ceasefire violations in the current year as against 3,233 in 2019.

Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic in the region, Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC and making concerted efforts to push militants into Kashmir.

Pakistani hostilities increased after India announced its decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and divide the state into two union territories in August last year. — PTI

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