A jawan was killed on Friday in Keran sector along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir while trying to foil an infiltration bid.
The day also witnessed fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army, who resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts in Poonch district in Jammu.
Army sources said jawans posted in the Keran sector, where the Army had recently called off 14-day-long gun battle against the infiltrators, foiled a fresh infiltration attempt. The fire exchange took place at the Sundermali area of the sector in Kupwara district, they said and added that the Indian Army has succeeded in forcing the infiltrators to move back to Pakistan side of the LoC. S Patil, a jawan of 15 Rashtriya Rifles, was injured in the firing and later succumbed to his wounds at a hospital.
The Indian Army had beefed up the security in the sector, after a group of 30-40 militants had occupied three posts in an abandoned village there after cutting the LoC fence. Sources confirmed that the para-shooters, who were called to the sector for the anti-infiltration operation, were still stationed closed to the LoC. During the mission, the Army had recovered large quantities of ammunition and had killed eight infiltrators.
In another instance, the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts at the Mendhar sector in Poonch district of Jammu. A Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed that the Pakistan Army had opened firing at Indian positions in Barasingha and Hamirpur areas of the LoC at 8.20 am on Friday. “They used 82 mm mortars, automatics and small arms. Our troops responded with the same calibre weapons,” he added.
Over 130 ceasefire violations have been reported in Jammu division since the beginning of this year.
The incident happened on a day Army chief General Bikram Singh met Defence Minister A K Antony in New Delhi to brief him about the Keran operation.
The General had told a TV news channel that it was impossible to infiltrate the area without the knowledge of Pakistan Army. “It is impossible for terrorists to do any activity along the LoC without the knowledge of the Pakistani Army. The cover fire given to terrorists to infiltrate is given from the posts,” he had said.