Fresh tension on LoC
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 10: An Army soldier was martyred and three jawans were injured as Pakistani troops resorted to repeated ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) in Pallanwalla and Sunderbani sectors in Jammu and Rajouri districts, prompting strong retaliation from the Indian side, leading to fresh tension on the LoC.
During last two days, an Army jawan and a porter have been killed while four soldiers were injured in repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army on the LoC from Pallanwalla to Sunderbani sectors.
Sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan army violated ceasefire in Keri Battal area, falling between Pallanwalla and Sunderbani sectors at 9.30 am today by resorting to unprovoked firing, which was retaliated by the Indian side very effectively. In the firing, an Army jawan was initially injured but later attained martyrdom.
He has been identified as Rifleman Varun Katal, 21, a resident of village Mawa in Rajpura area of Samba district. He is survived by his parents Anchal Singh and Pinki Rani.
“Rifleman Varun Katal was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,’’ a Defence spokesman said.
He added that the Indian Army retaliated the Pakistani firing strongly and effectively and warned Pakistan that martyrdom of the Indian Army soldier will not go in vain.
Another Army soldier Surinder Thappa was injured in Pakistan firing at Pallanwalla sector in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu. Troops evacuated him from the site of firing and shifted him to the Military Hospital for treatment.
An Army porter, Deepak Kumar son of Jeet Ram, a resident of village Bhalwal Bharath in Pargwal area of Akhnoor tehsil was killed in Pakistan firing yesterday in Khour area of Pallanwalla sector.
Two BSF jawans were injured in Pakistan firing at forward village of Mala in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district this evening. A BSF jawan was yesterday injured in Pakistan firing at Tarkundi in Bhimber Gali sector of Poonch district.
Sources said the Indian Army has been retaliating Pakistan firing at all the places very effectively and has given adequate response to the enemy troops, who have suffered heavy losses and damages on their side but exact details couldn’t be ascertained immediately.
“Pakistan army has suffered heavy losses in retaliatory firing by the Indian side. Exact quantum of losses was yet to be known,’’ they said, adding that Pakistani troops were firing in frustration as well as to give covering fire to infiltrating militants at some places. Army has been maintaining very high alert all along the LoC following reports that the militants could try to infiltrate into this side under the cover of Pakistan firing.
Only few days back, three Pakistani troops were killed after the Indian Army retaliated to Pakistan army’s firing in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.
On October 21, three soldiers of Indian Army were martyred while two heavily-armed infiltrators, believed to be members of the Border Action Team (BAT) of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit were killed in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district.
On November 6, a soldier was injured when he was hit by a sniper from across the border at Kalal in Nowshera sector of Rajouri, while a BSF jawan was injured in a separate incident of firing by Pakistan along the LoC in Manjakote area of Rajouri-Poonch sector on Friday.
The number of ceasefire violations this year by Pakistan has been the highest in the past eight years.
The first seven months of this year saw 52 deaths and 232 people getting injured in 1,435 ceasefire violations in the State.
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