Soldier killed as Pak violates ceasefire

Jammu, March 24: A soldier was killed on Sunday when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages with heavy calibre weapons and rockets along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri districts, a defence spokesperson said.

The Indian Army retaliated in strong measure, inflicting adequate damage and casualties to Pakistani troops, said Jammu-based public relations officer (defence) Lt. Col. Devender Anand.

He said grenadier Hari Bhakar, a resident of Rajasthan’s Nagaur district, was seriously injured at a forward post in Shahpur area and admitted to the nearest field hospital, but succumbed later, taking the number of Army personnel killed since last week to three.

Meanwhile, the Army on Sunday shared a video ■

■ Continued from Page 1 of Pakistani base destroyed in Indian firing in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The video shows a flag of Pakistan tied upside down.

Pakistan has put the upsidedown country flag inside their base in Akhnoor sector that was destroyed by the Indian Army two days ago, said an Army source.

According to Army sources, an upside down flag is an SOS signal indicating extreme danger or distress.

Lt. Col Anand said heavy calibre weapons and rockets were also fired from across the border in unprovoked firing by Pakistan troops in Poonch sector on Saturday evening. He said Pakistan also initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling mortars and firing of small arms along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district around 11.50 am.

The year 2018 witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations — 2,936 — by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border. Pakistan continues to violate the 2003 ceasefire agreement with India despite repeated calls for restraint.