India summons Pakistan official over army’s alleged mutilation of soldiers
INDIA - India has summoned Pakistan’s top representative in the country over allegations Pakistani forces mutilated two Indian soldiers in the disputed border region of Kashmir.
In a statement yesterday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the “foreign secretary conveyed India’s outrage at the killing and the barbaric act of mutilation of the bodies of two Indian soldiers on May 1.”
Pakistan has repeatedly denied that its troops crossed the Line of Control (LOC) -- the de-facto border between the two countries in Kashmir -or mutilated the soldiers. According to India, the two soldiers were killed in an attack following artillery fire from Pakistani posts near the village of Battal which struck along the LOC. The soldiers were identified as Paramjit Singh and Prem Sagar. They had been part of a nine-member patrol team, according to K.N. Choubey of the Border Security Force. Wednesday’s statement said a trail of blood showed that the people who killed the soldiers returned along the LOC.
India’s government “demands that Pakistan take immediate action against its soldiers and commanders responsible for this heinous act,” the statement said. Indian army Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand said at an event Tuesday any retaliation by Indian troops would be done “at the time and place of our choosing.”
In a statement Tuesday, Pakistan’s army said the country “remains fully committed to maintaining peace and tranquility along the LOC and expect same from other side and hope prudence is exercised.”
The army described the mutilation allegations as “baseless and unfounded” and accused India of attempting to ‘divert the attention’ of the world from the situation in the Kashmir valley. (CNN/ Photo: CNN.com)