2 Pakistani soldiers killed as India hits back at LoC

Srinagar: Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in what the Indian Army said was its retaliatory action after the ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country in the Hajipir sector of the Line of Control during the past 24 hours.

At least one Indian soldier and a woman resident had been killed and another civilian hurt in the Pakistani firing and shelling in the area on Wednesday.

Confirming the death of two Pakistani soldiers in the Indian firing and shelling, a Pakistan Army Inter-Services Public Relations spokesman identified the slain men as Naib Subedar Kandero and Sepoy Ehsan.

The ISPR alleged that the ceasefire violations in the Haripir sector were initiated by the Indian troops, in response to which the Pakistani troops “damaged Indian posts, killing three Indian soldiers, including a subedar and injuring a few others”. On Wednesday, a day after the Army’s Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh visited Indian formations and units along the LoC in north Kashmir to review the “security situation and operational and logistic preparedness”, a junior commissioned officer and a woman resident identified as 22-year-old Naseema Begum were killed and another civilian was injured in Pakistani firing and shelling in the Hajipir and nearby Rampur sectors of the de facto border.

Army officials here said that the JCO, whose name they withheld till his family had been informed, was killed in “unprovoked ceasefire violation” by the Pakistani troops. They added that the Indian troops had retaliated to the Pakistani firing “strongly and befittingly”.

Earlier on Tuesday night, Pakistan Rangers had fired mortars and small arms to target BSF positions along the international border in J&K’s Kathua district. Several mortar shells landed in civilian areas close to the Chandwa belt in the Hiranagar sector, triggering protests by local residents on Wednesday. The BSF had said its men gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani shelling, leading to a skirmish that continued through the night. No casualties were, however, reported.