Soldier hurt in truce violation in Rajouri

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 13

In yet another ceasefire violation, an Army jawan was injured in a sniper fire from Pakistan on Sunday near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. It was the 36th ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the last 13 days.

An Army official said Pakistani troops violated ceasefire on Sunday by resorting to unprovoked firing from across the LoC, injuring a soldier deputed at a forward post. Apparently, he was hit by a bullet fired by a Pakistani sniper in the Keri sector of Rajouri district.

The Indian troops retaliated effectively, the official said, adding that the soldier was taken to a hospital.

The soldier has been identified as Rifleman Gurpreet Singh, who reportedly received serious bullet injuries on shoulder.

After providing immediate medical help at the unit’s medical centre, he was airlifted to the Army’s Command Hospital.

Since the beginning of 2019, an Army Major and two others, including a soldier, have been killed in 36 ceasefire violations till date.

“It has become a routine affair with the Pakistan army to provoke the Indian Army by resorting to truce violations two or three times a day. Though we give them befitting reply and inflict damage, the provocation continues,” said an Army officer.

The deceased include Major Shashi Dharan V Nair of Pune, Rifleman Jivan Gurung of West Bengal and Army porter Hem Raj, a resident of Klasara, Sunderbani of Rajouri district.

On Friday, the Pakistan army’s Border Action Team, comprising regulars and trained militants, planted two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at two places in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district. The IEDs exploded, killing Major Nair and Rifleman Gurung. Hem Raj, who was critically injured in a sniper attack in the Sunderbani sector, succumbed to his injuries.

On January 2, Lance Naik Sapan Mehra of the 40 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in an avalanche in the Saujiyan sector of Poonch district along the LoC whereas another soldier suffered grievous injuries in the incident. Both were posted on a forward post to keep vigil on any infiltration attempts.

Last year recorded 2,936 ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The number was the highest in the past 15 years. As many as 61 persons were killed and over 250 injured in the truce violations.

The hostility on the LoC has increased since the surgical strikes by the Indian Army on September 28-29, 2016. The Army’s Special Forces had entered deep inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and demolished terror launch pads. Around 50 militants, who were waiting to infiltrate to the Indian side, were killed in the strike.

Tributes paid to Rajouri martyr

Jammu: A wreath-laying ceremony was held on Sunday to pay tributes to an Army jawan killed along with an officer in an IED blast along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district. The ceremony was held at the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur. Rifleman Jiwan Gurung, 24, along with Major Shashi Dharan V Nair, 33, was killed on Friday in an IED explosion in the Nowshera sector. Rifleman Gurung’s mortal remains were later transported to Delhi by a service aircraft. The body will be taken to Bagdogra in West Bengal from Delhi through a civil flight and then by road to his home town Darjeeling, a defence spokesman said. PTI