A soldier succumbed to injuries after being hit by a sniper rifle as Indian and Pakistani troops traded gunfire along line of Control (loC) in Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.
They said that an Army patrol was targeted with gunfire on Wednesday morning causing casualties. “Necessary and adequate response” was given to the Pakistani firing, Army said describing the Pakistani attack as unprovoked.
Sources said in violation of the November 2003 ceasefire pact between India and Pakistan, the Pakistani troops opened fire at Army patrol near ‘Pimple post’ in Keran sector injuring four soldiers. They were immediately airlifted to Army’s 92-base hospital in Srinagar where one soldier Rajesh Khatri was declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, police said that they have arrested a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Adil Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Jablipora village in south Kashmir’s Bijbehara district. Bhat has recently joined militant ranks and uploaded his picture in combat dress and wielding an automatic rifle.
Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Burhanuddin told a local news agency that Bhat was not a cadre of his outfit.
In another incident, police recovered an unexploded grenade in front of a bank branch at Ompora village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. The presence of explosive caused panic in the area.