Gurgaon captain, 3 soldiers killed in firing along LOC
CASUALTIES ‘Unprovoked’ attack by Pakistan, says army
JAMMU: AN army officer and three soldiers were killed and a Border Security Force (BSF) sub-inspector was injured in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LOC) in Tarkundi and Sunderbani areas of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday evening.
An officer of the rank of captain was among those killed in “unprovoked and indiscriminate” firing by Pakistan army around 3.30pm, confirmed the army in a statement.
“Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively and heavy damage has been inflicted on Pakistani Army Posts. However, in the exchange of fire, one officer and three jawans were grievously injured and succumbed to their injuries and attained martyrdom,” the statement added.
“The martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain. The unprovoked action by Pakistani Army will be given a befitting response,” the statement added. Sources said the Pakistan’s border action team (BAT) took part in the attack.
The BAT is an amalgam of Pakistan army commandos and Lashkar-e-taiba terrorists formed to inflict heavy casualties on Indian patrols along the Indo-pak borders.
“LOC: One officer and 3 Jawans martyred in Rajouri . Most areas affected due to ceasefire violation,” Rajouri deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary posted on his Twitter account late on Sunday.
Choudhary said that all 84 schools located within 5km of the LOC from Sunderbani to Manjakote will remain closed for the next three days in view of the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan.
The deceased have been identified as captain Kapil Kundu from Gurgaon, riflemen Ram Avtar (MP) and Shubam Singh (J&K) and havildar Roshan Lal J&K). BSF lance naik Iqbal Ahmed sustained injuries. Earlier on Sunday, two teenagers and a soldier were injured as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by targeting forward villages and posts along the LOC in Poonch and Rajouri districts, officials said. The injured were identified as Shahnaz Bano, 15, and Yasin Arif, 14, residents of Islamabad village, official said. Both of them were hospitalised. The firing started around 11am with Pakistani soldiers using small arms, automatics and mortars, the officials said, adding that Indian troops retaliated strongly.
In another ceasefire violation in nearby Rajouri district, six mortars fired by Pakistani forces exploded near Neaka Panjgrain and Tarkundi villages in Manjakote sector in the afternoon, a police official said. Nine security personnel have been killed this year in truce violation by Pakistan whereas 70, including civiliams, have been injured.