Three soldiers of the Indian Army were martyred while four others received injuries in fresh escalation by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday. Hitting back, Indian Army retaliated “effectively”.
Unconfirmed reports claimed the Pakistan Army also suffered heavy damages in heavy retaliatory firing. Till the time of filing the report tension prevailed in the forward areas as intermittent firing continued. Indian Army lost three soldiers in one single day after a gap of six months again.
In the first week of April 2020, Indian Army had lost five elite para commandos during hand to hand combat with a heavily armed group of infiltrators in the Keran sector of Kupwara. A month later, a commanding officer, along with a Major rank officer and two other jawans, were martyred during an encounter in Handwara area of Kupwara.
According to the ground reports, the Pakistan Army resorted to “unprovoked” ceasefire violation in Mankote and Krishna Ghati sectors of Poonch late on Wednesday while it resorted to heavy mortar shelling on Thursday morning in Naugam sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Ground reports also claimed the Pakistan Army resorted to use of artillery guns to target the Indian positions in the forward areas.
Two Indian soldiers succumbed to their fatal injuries in the Naugam sector while one Indian Army jawan attained martyrdom in the intense exchange of firing in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch late on Wednesday. Four others, with grievous injuries were safely evacuated to a nearby hospital.
The civilian population too was affected as several mortars landed in the residential areas forcing them to stay awake to ensure their safety.
Srinagar based Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia in a statement said Pakistan initiated an “unprovoked” ceasefire violation along the LoC in Naugam sector, Kupwara by firing mortars and other weapons.
“Two soldiers fatal. Four soldiers injured, being evacuated. Befitting response is being given,” the spokesperson said.
For the past several days there has been no let up from Pakistan as it is repeatedly attempting to push small groups of heavily armed infiltrators through the international border and along the line of control to launch terror strikes on vital security installations. Desperate attempts were being made to airdrop arms and ammunition using drones acquired from China.
In Jammu, Lt Col Devender Anand said, “During “unprovoked” ceasefire violation along the line of control in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch Lance Naik Karnail Singh had received critical injuries and later he succumbed. The deceased soldier was a native of Loha Khera in Sangrur district of Punjab.
Since January 1, 2020 more than 3,200 incidents of ceasefire violations, highest so far since November 2003, have been reported in the first nine months. The ceasefire violations may further increase in the coming days as the mountain passes would be closed down due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches along the traditional infiltration routes.