Udhampur, Jan. 8 (ANI): Two Indian Army personnel were killed by the Pakistani troops in an attack on a patrol party along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir ‘s Poonch District today.
In a significant escalation to the continuing series of cease-fire violations and infiltration attempts supported by Pakistan Army, a group of their regular soldiers intruded across LoC in the Mendhar Sector today.
Pakistan Army troops, having taken advantage of thick fog and mist in the forested area, were moving towards own posts when an alert area domination patrol spotted and engaged the intruders.
The firefight between Pakistan and own troops continued for approximately half an hour after which the intruders retreated back towards their side of LoC.
Two soldiers Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh laid down their lives while fighting the Pakistan troops.
The Defence Ministry condemned the incident of ceasefire violation along the (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir ‘s Poonch District, and described the attack as a provocative action.
“The Government of India considers the incident as a provocative action and we condemn it,” said a statement issued by the Defence Ministry.
The Defence Ministry further said that the Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two sides are in touch.
“The government will take up the incident with the Pakistan Government. We expect Islamabad to honour the ceasefire agreement strictly,” it added.
MEA official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin today informed that the Pakistani troops in the sector commenced unprovoked firing on the Indian troops earlier on Sunday morning.
“In the early hours of January 06, Pakistani troops in the sector commenced unprovoked firing on Indian troops. The roof of a civilian house in Churunda Village was damaged in Pakistani motor fire. Indian troops, therefore, undertook control and retaliated. Therefore, we deny that Indian troops had crossed the Line of Control in the Rampur sector or had violated the ceasefire,” he told the media in New Delhi . Akbaruddin further informed that the Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two sides have been in touch over this incident.
“The DGMOs of the two countries have been in touch over this incident and we would call upon the Pakistani authorities to ensure that sanctity of the Line of Control is upheld at all times and to ensure that such incidence of unprovoked firing across the LOC do not recur,” he said.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-jawans-killed-in-pak-firing/
