Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 21: Another Army jawan was today martyred in unprovoked firing on forward Indian posts by the Pakistani troops in Sunderbani sector while other forward areas along LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts remained calm.
Official sources said Pakistan army initiated unprovoked firing on forward Army posts in Sunderbani sector, which was hitherto calm despite heavy shelling in neighbouring Nowshera sector. The Indian troops retaliated strongly and effectively.
Rifleman Jayadrath Singh was martyred in the firing.
Twenty-eight years old martyr belonged to village Bhagwanpur in Deoband area of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by his wife Mamta Devi.
With this, four Army jawans have been martyred in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch this week in Pakistan’s shelling and firing.
Meanwhile, an eerie calm prevailed along LoC in shelling-hit sectors of Nowshera, Manjakote, Balakote, Mendhar, Sabjian and Shahpur besides other villages falling close to LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts with frightened people staying indoors and educational institutions remaining shut following Pakistan army’s direct shelling of civilian population and the Government schools.
The schools falling close to the LoC remained closed for third consecutive day today on the orders of civil administration, which didn’t want to take any chances of risking lives of students in view of shelling and firing in civilian areas.
Only yesterday, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen AK Bhatt had issued second stern warning to Pakistani counterpart for shelling civilian areas including educational institutions along LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Prior to yesterday’s warning, Indian DGMO had talked very tough with Pakistani counterpart this Monday warning him of very strong retaliation by the Indian troops to continued ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.
Meanwhile, about 4000 people continued to stay in relief camps set up by the administration in Nowshera town for the people of LoC areas of Nowshera sector in Rajouri district, where heavy shelling has been reported during past few days.
However, no fresh migration was reported today.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said that India has inflicted heavy losses on Pakistan side during cross-LoC shelling and firing in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have taught Pakistan a lesson. They have been given befitting response. There have been massive losses on Pakistan side. I can’t tell everything here,” Jaitley said in the Parliament while replying to members’ concerned.
“Pakistan has been taught such a lesson, which was never given in the history,” he said.
Jaitley’s statement came close on heels of the reports that several Pakistan army jawans were killed and injured while their bunkers and posts were destroyed in retaliatory action undertaken by the Indian Army during past few days in Nowshera and Manjakote sectors of Rajouri district and Balakote, Mendhar, Sabjian and Shahpur sectors of Poonch district.
India lost three Army soldiers and a civilian in the shelling this week.
There have been reports that nine posts and bunkers of Pakistan army were completely decimated in retaliatory action undertaken by the Indian troops in the two border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in another statement in the Parliament, said that India’s view point on Kashmir has been well accepted at the international level.
“Pakistan has been exposed for its support to terrorism while India’s view point is being taken very well by all the countries,” she said.
Swaraj said that United States President Donald Trump and other world leaders were convinced with India’s stand on Kashmir.
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