Army jawan killed in sniper attack from across LoC

Srinagar: An Army jawan was killed in a sniper rifle attack from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday. The Army and police sources said that Havaldar Nirmal Singh from 10 JAK Rifles was deployed at a forward Indian Army post in Mankote area of the LoC when targetted either by the Pakistani troops or militants. He received a bullet injury in right side of the chest and was immediately evacuated to the Army hospital in Udhampur in a helicopter. However, he succumbed, the sources said.

An Army jawan was killed in a sniper rifle attack from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday.

The Army and police sources said that Havaldar Nirmal Singh from 10 JAK Rifles was deployed at a forward Indian Army post in Mankote area of the LoC when targetted either by the Pakistani troops or militants.

He received a bullet injury in right side of the chest and was immediately evacuated to the Army command hospital in garrison town of Udhampur in a helicopter. However, before doctors could attend on him, he succumbed, the sources said.

The sources added that the soldier’s corpse was flown back to Poonch and that it would be handed over to the family for last rites after completion of autopsy at the government-run sub-district hospital at Mendhar.

However, a defence spokesman said in Jammu that the soldier was critically injured in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops in Krishna Ghati sector of the LoC and later died while being evacuated to hospital. He added that the Indian Army responded “strongly” to the Pakistani firing.

“Havaldar Nirmal Singh was a brave, highly motivated and a sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” the spokesman said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Army had claimed that it foiled yet another Infiltration bid along the LoC’s Akhnoor sector by killing three militants. Four Army jawans were injured in the clash, it said.

The Army alleged that the Pakistan Army had tried to facilitate the infiltration by providing firing cover to the militants.