Havaldar martyred, jawan among 2 women injured

Heavy Pak shelling on LoC, IB

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 21: A Havaldar was martyred and an Army soldier and two women were injured in heavy mortar shelling and firing by the Pakistani troops in Nowshera, Digwar, Malti, Bigial Dara and Dallan forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch today.
The casualty comes barely a week after multiple ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC in North Kashmir left 11 people, including five security personnel, dead on November 13.
Havaldar Patil Sangram Shivaji, who was manning a forward post, was critically injured in the Pakistani firing in the Lam area of Rajouri district’s Nowshera sector around 1 am, the officials said, adding he later attained martyrdom.
Another soldier also sustained injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a Military Hospital.

A woman injured in Pak shelling being treated in Poonch hospital on Saturday. —Excelsior/Gurjeet Bhajan
A woman injured in Pak shelling being treated in Poonch hospital on Saturday. —Excelsior/Gurjeet Bhajan

The officials said the Indian Army retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns, and the cross-border firing between the two sides continued for quite some time.
Taking to Twitter, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps and all other ranks saluted the soldier and offered their condolences to his family.
In a statement, a defence spokesman said Havaldar Sangram Patil Shivaji, a resident of Nigave village of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier.
“The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” he said.
Late this evening, Pakistan army targeted civilian areas at Digwar, Malti, Bigial Dara and Dallan areas on the LoC in Poonch district causing injuries to two women as mortar shells fell in civilian locations.
Injured women have been identified as Sakina Bi, 40, wife of Nazam Din and Mansha Bi, 18, daughter of Shamas Din, both residents of Bigial Dara.
They have been hospitalized.
The Indian Army retaliated effectively silencing the Pakistanis guns.
The officials said Pakistani Rangers also resorted to unprovoked firing along the IB in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district last night.
The firing on Satpal, Manyari, Ladwal and Karol Krishna border outpost areas started around 10 pm last night, prompting strong and effective retaliation by the Border Security Force.
Cross-border skirmishes continued till 5.25 am today, and there was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side.