Troops retaliate to thwart intrusion bids
*Counter-Infiltration Grid strong: Brig Comdr
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 26: At least four Pakistan army personnel were killed-two each across Kupwara and Poonch sectors today and another was injured while three Pakistani posts and two bunkers were destroyed in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops. Pakistan army again pounded civilian areas in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district with long range mortars and automatic weapons damaging some houses and leading to panic among the border dwellers.
Sources said the India Army retaliated Pakistan shelling and firing targeting their posts in Leepa Valley across Kupwara sector amid reports that the Pakistani troops were trying to facilitate infiltration attempts by the militants into Kashmir valley.
Pakistan army targeted the Indian civilian areas. Yesterday, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army was martyred and a woman was killed in Uri sector of Baramulla district in Kashmir in the Pakistani shelling and firing.
“The Indian retaliatory action was necessitated to prevent infiltration by the trained militants in which at least two Pakistan army personnel were killed and their two posts and an equal number of bunkers were destroyed,” sources said, adding that some militants planning infiltration into the Valley with the support of Pakistani troops might have also been killed in the Indian action but there was no official confirmation.
Pakistan army has confirmed the killings of its two personnel and identified them as Naib Subedar Kandero and Sepoy Ehsan.
This afternoon, Pakistan army violated ceasefire by resorting to heavy mortar shelling and firing with automatic weapons at Balnoi, Mankote and surrounding villages in Krishna Ghati sector leading to very effective retaliation by the Indian troops.
“In heavy exchange of shelling, a Pakistani post was blown close to the Line of Control (LoC) across Balnoi in Krishna Ghati sector in which two Pakistani troopers were killed and another injured seriously. Pakistani ambulances could be seen evacuating dead and injured from the forward post,” sources said, adding the shelling and firing from Pakistan side stopped after the killing of two Pakistan army personnel.
There were, however, no casualties on the Indian side. Some houses suffered damage in mortar shelling by the Pakistan army but the civilians had narrow escape as they had already taken shelter in the bunkers or deep inside houses as soon as Pakistan army started raining mortars and bullets.
Sources said Pakistan army used long range 120mm mortar shells to target the civil population in the forward villages.
Meanwhile, Brig KK Singh, Commander Chenab Brigade, today said the Indian Army is always ready and capable to foil Pakistan attempt to disturb peace on the borders.
“We are ready to thwart any attempt by Pakistan to disturb peace and give befitting reply to the enemy,” Brig Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a medical, veterinary and agriculture camp organized by the Army at Gajansoo in Jammu district.
He said the Anti-Infiltration and Counter-Insurgency Grids were dynamic and there was complete coordination among all security agencies, be it the Army, the BSF or others. He added that all preemptive measures were being taken regularly to thwart the challenges posed by Pakistan.
“We keep on changing our strategy depending upon the situation, inputs etc,” the Brigade Commander said.
Asserting that inputs do keep on coming (about Pakistan’s plots), Brig Singh said the troops act well in time to ensure that Pakistan doesn’t succeed in its game plan to disturb peace. He added that security arrangements have been heightened and they are further strengthened depending upon the situation.
The Army Commander said the troops were fully prepared to deal with any kind of threat from drones.
It may be mentioned here that Pakistan army had used drones to smuggle weapons into the Indian territory from the International Border in Punjab some time back. Since then security forces have been maintaining high alert on use of drones by Pakistan to send weapons through them in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, Brig Singh inaugurated multipurpose camp organized by the Chenab Brigade at Gajansoo to help local populations. The Chenab Brigade along with doctors from Army and civil administration, specialists from Department of Animal Husbandry and Agriculture Department provided their services during the day long camp.
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