Another soldier killed in Pak sniper fire in J&K, one critical

Third death due to sniper attack in three days

JAMMU: An Army soldier was killed and another injured in a sniper attack by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening.

This is the second death due to sniper attack in the last 24 hours and the fourth since Friday.

“At around 5.15 pm on Monday, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector (Mendhar) on the LOC resulting in one soldier getting martyred and another critically injured,” said defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand.

While 34-year-old Lance Naik Antony Sebastian KM of Kerala succumbed to his injuries, Havildar Mari Muthu D was critically injured in the firing, he added.

Medical aid was provided to the soldier following which he was evacuated to military hospital in Poonch.

There has been a spike in sniper attacks on the LOC in the past one week. Pakistan troops have also violated ceasefire in the past three days along the LOC in Jammu region.

A 29-year-old soldier of the Indian Army was killed on Sun- day when Pakistani troops fired along the LOC in Nowshera sector Rajouri district, officials said on Monday.

It was also a sniper fire in which Naikgosavi Keshav Somgir was injured critically and was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Rifleman Varun Katal was killed on Saturday in a sniper fire from across the LOC in the Sunderbani sector.

Army porter Deepak Kumar of Pallanwala was also killed in a similar manner in Akhnoor sector.

BSF, Pak Rangers hold sector commander level flag meet

A sector commander level meeting was held between Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers on the International Border at Suchetgarh in RS Pura sector in Jammu district on Monday.

This meeting comes on a day when another soldier was killed in a sniper attack by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening.

“At Pakistan Rangers’ insistence, a sector commander level flag meeting was held today from 1100 hrs to 1200 hrs on the IB in Suchetgarh area,” said a BSF spokesperson.

While the BSF delegation comprising 18 officers was led by P S Dhiman, DIG BSF Jammu sector, Pakistani delegation was led by Brig Amjad Mehmud, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers, Sialkote Punjab. Pakistani delegation comprised 14 officers including five wing commanders.

This was the first sector commander level meeting between two border guarding forces as tension escalated on the IB in September.

During meeting, commanders of the two forces discussed issues including firing on the IB, presence of suspects in border areas and other issues related to border management.

“Meeting was held in a cordial and positive atmosphere and both sides agreed for expeditious implementation of decisions taken in the earlier meeting,” the spokesperson added.