Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 6: A day after an Army jawan was injured in ceasefire violations in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, Pakistani troops once again resorted to firing on Indian positions on the LoC in Mandi sector of the same district early today drawing effective retaliation from the Indian Army, leading to heavy exchanges with semi automatic and small arms firing.
“Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in forward areas of Mandi sector in Poonch district along the LoC today,” official sources said.
They said the Pakistani troops started firing targeting the forward Indian positions in Mandi sector of Poonch district at 5.20 am. The Indian side immediately retaliated to silence the Pakistani guns. The exchange of firing continued for 45 minutes. However, there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side. Casualties or damage on other side of the LoC was not known.
Sources said the forward posts of Pakistan fired towards the Indian side using automatics and heavy machine guns.
“Our side retaliated appropriately using similar caliber of weapons,’’ sources said, adding that this was for fourth consecutive night when Pakistan has violated ceasefire on the LoC in one or the other sector prompting the Indian side to retaliate.
Indian Army was maintaining very high alert on the LoC following inputs that Pakistan Army could take advantage of ceasefire violations to facilitate infiltration of militants into the Indian territory. Some of the infiltration attempts made by the militants during ceasefire violations have been foiled by the troops successfully.
With today’s ceasefire violation, the number of such violations has gone up to seven in September.
The latest ceasefire violation comes in the backdrop of reports that India and Pakistan would be holding five-day Director General-level talks between their border guarding forces from September 9.
Ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir, including sniper attacks, infiltration, intrusion in Rann of Kutch and smuggling are among the key issues India is expected to raise with Pakistan during the talks.
On September 5, an Army jawan was injured as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing on forward posts along the LoC in Poonch district.
On September 4, the Pakistani Rangers had fired two burst of small arms and two mortar shells on posts along the International Border (IB) in R S Pura sector of Jammu district around 0200 hours.
On September 3, the Pakistan army had targeted Bhimber Gali (BG) sector of the LoC in Poonch district by resorting to small arms firing from 2320 to 2330 hours.
On September 2, the Pakistan army had targeted Krishna Ghati sector of the LoC in Poonch district and Indian troops responded appropriately and effectively.
On September 1, Pakistan troops had fired on a Forward Defence Location (FDL).
Eleven people, including two jawans, were killed and over 30 injured in August in ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
There have been over 250 violations of the border ceasefire agreement by Pakistan in the year so far, of which 57 were in August.
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