2 Pak troops dead, 5 injured
3 Pak bunkers fitted with sniper rifles destroyed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 11: As there was no let up in ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the Indian Army took aggressive action against Pakistan’s mobile bunkers, which were targeting the troops with sniper rifles and destroyed three of them across Pallanwalla and Sunderbani sectors and in fresh firing this evening, an Army jawan was martyred in Nowshera sector while two Pakistani troopers were killed and five others were injured.
Sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan army resorted to heavy firing in violation of ceasefire agreement at 3.20 pm in Kallal area of Nowshera sector in Rajouri district targeting forward posts of the troops, who retaliated effectively, leading to very heavy exchanges.
Exchange of firing lasted over an hour, sources said, adding that an Indian Army jawan attained martyrdom in Naini area of Kallal in Nowshera sector during the exchange of firing. He has been identified as Naik Gosavi Keshav Samgir, 29, a resident of Sri Rampur, Sinnar in Nasik district of Maharashtra.
Body of the martyr has been shifted to an Army installation and will be sent to his native village with full military honours tomorrow after wreath laying ceremony.
At least two Pakistani troops were believed dead in retaliatory firing by the Indian side. At least five Pakistan army personnel were injured in retaliatory action by the Indian troops across Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district to silence the Pakistani guns, which were targeting Indian forward posts.
Sources said the Indian Army took aggressive action against Pakistani troops from Khour, Pallanwalla and Sunderbani sectors in Jammu and Rajouri districts and destroyed three sniper rifles fitted mobile bunkers of Pakistan, which were targeting the soldiers on this side.
“The mobile bunkers, which had been fitted with sniper rifles and were targeting the Indian jawans from forward areas, were destroyed,” sources said, adding that it was not clear immediately as to whether the Pakistani troops present in the bunkers were dead or injured. The reports to this effect are being ascertained.
Pakistan army also opened firing in Digwar and Malti sectors in Poonch district late last night, which was replied by the Indian side. The firing continued almost throughout the night. However, there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side. Damages on the other side were not known.
Fresh tensions on the LoC in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts had erupted on Wednesday night on the occasion of Diwali festival as soon after exchange of sweets between Indo-Pak troops at Chakan-Da-Bagh and Hot Spring Points in Poonch and Mendhar sectors, Pakistan army had activated the LoC by resorting to firing and targeting forward posts of the Indian Army, which responded very effectively.
Three Pakistan army jawans were killed opposite Nowshera sector on the night of Diwali. With two more enemy casualties, their toll has risen to five.
Two Indian Army soldiers and a porter have been killed during last three days. While Army porter was killed in Khour sector on Friday, an Army jawan was martyred in Sunderbani sector yesterday. Another jawan was killed today in Nowshera sector.
According to sources, Pakistan army was also trying to push highly trained militants to the Indian side through LoC under the cover of their firing in Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, the troops have been maintaining very high alert all along the LoC to ensure that the militants don’t succeed in infiltration.
Few days back, three Indian Army soldiers had attained martyrdom while thwarting infiltration attempt in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district. Two infiltrators, who had turned out to be dreaded Pakistani militants, were killed by the troops. Pakistan had refused to take bodies of their soldiers despite an offer made by India.
Sources said Pakistan army was likely to intensify infiltration attempts by the militants in the month of November along the Line of Control (LoC) as the snowfall will close some of the infiltration routes in December. There have been reports that large number of militants were camping at launching pads on Pakistan side of the LoC, waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate.
However, in view of high alert maintained by the Indian Army all along the LoC, the militants were finding it difficult to infiltrate. In twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region, where India shares LoC with Pakistan, there has been no successful infiltration attempt though Pakistani troops were regularly trying to abet intrusion bids by the militants, sources said.
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