3 injured in JKLF rally on Pak side
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 11: Army has gunned down three infiltrators on the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district while an Army jawan was injured in mortar shelling and firing by Pakistani troops in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district where, in retaliation by the Indian troops, three JKLF activists who were taking out a rally on the death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat, were injured.
Reports said the Indian Army during retaliation to Pakistan shelling and firing on the LoC in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on the intervening night of February 9 and 10 gunned down three militants, who were trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory under the covering fire from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The militants, according to sources, were trying to infiltrate into the Indian territory from Mendhar sector along with arms, ammunition and explosives when they were intercepted and eliminated by the troops during exchange of shelling and firing. However, bodies of the militants were lying on the LoC and hadn’t been picked up by the Pakistan army till the reports last came in.
“The militants were believed to be the activists of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit,” reports said.
Couple of days ago, the Indian Army had hit three terror launch pads at Pakistan’s forward village Nakyal opposite Mendhar and Balakote sectors in Poonch district in which eight to nine militants were reportedly killed or injured.
There have been reports with the Army that Pakistani troops have shifted militants at terror launch pads on their side of the LoC and were trying to facilitate their infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir under the cover of shelling and firing. However, the alert Indian troops didn’t allow the intrusion bids to succeed.
Previously also, Army has thwarted number of infiltration attempts which were taking place under the cover of firing from Pakistan side on the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
It may be mentioned here that on the intervening night of February 9 and 10, there had been heavy exchange of mortar shelling and firing between the Indo-Pak troops in which the Pakistan army had used artillery fire to target forward defence locations and civilian areas in Mendhar and Balakote sectors of Poonch district.
Meanwhile, Pakistan army violated ceasefire on the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district this morning. The Indian side retaliated effectively, leading to heavy exchanges.
An Indian Army jawan was injured in Pakistan shelling. He was evacuated from the site of firing and admitted to hospital.
In retaliation by the Indian troops, a rally being taken by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) activists on Pakistan side of the LoC on death anniversary of Maqbool Bhat, was hit, in which three JKLF activists were injured.
Sources said Pakistan army intentionally started shelling and firing on the Indian side at the time of JKLF rally on the LoC. As the Indian troops retaliated, three JKLF activists in the rally were hit and got injured.
However, Pakistan army didn’t evacuate injured JKLF activists. They could be seen being taken to the hospital from the LoC by other people in the rally.
Meanwhile, Pakistan army also violated ceasefire for a brief period at Khanetar and Mangnar Top in Poonch district prompting the Indian side to retaliate. Exchange of firing lasted only few minutes and there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side.
Meanwhile, Army today destroyed four unexploded 120 mm mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops in civilian areas in Balakote and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district few days back.
Four mortar shells fired by the Pakistan army had remained unexploded and were defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad of the Army this afternoon safely.
The mortar shells were defused away from the civilian areas to avoid any damage, sources said.
Nearly half a dozen houses and cattle sheds were damaged in Pakistan shelling in civilian areas of Balakote and Mendhar sectors in Poonch district.
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