Pak troops desert two posts at Athmuqam
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 27: Tension today further escalated on the Line of Control (LoC) as the Indian Army retaliated very strongly to unabated ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops in which 3-4 Pakistani troopers were killed across Keri Bhattal in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district. Pakistan army deserted two posts at Athmuqam opposite Keran sector in Kupwara district in view of the Indian retaliation.
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire and started heavy mortar shelling and firing in Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors during the day today targeting forward posts of the Indian Army and civilian areas. The Indian side retaliated very effectively leading to heavy exchanges.
Sources said three to four Pakistan army personnel were killed when their forward posts and bunkers were hit in Indian retaliation across Keri Bhattal in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district. There was panic in the Pakistani camp with ambulances shifting the dead from forward posts.
At least three posts of Pakistan army have been badly damaged in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops across Keri Bhattal, sources said.
Keri Bhattal is the same area where Pakistani troops had tried to facilitate infiltration attempt by six dreaded militants few days back in which an Army jawan was martyred. In retaliation, two Pakistani troopers and three infiltrators, who were believed to be Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, were killed.
Pakistan army had also triggered massive explosion in the area to give cover to the infiltrators but had failed in their plot.
Pakistan army continued shelling and firing in Sunderbani sector for about four hours with a view to hit forward posts of the Indian troops and civilian areas but failed. There were no casualties or damage on the Indian side.
Later, Pakistani troops started heavy shelling and firing in adjoining Nowshera sector of Rajouri district. Here also, Pakistan tried to target forward posts and civilian areas.
Sources said two tin sheds atop roof of an old GREF structure were damaged after being hit by a mortar shell in Nowshera sector. Barring this, there was no damage on the Indian side in Nowshera sector also.
Exchange of shelling lasted two hours, sources said.
In Kupwara sector of the Kashmir Valley, the Indian army carried out pinpoint strikes on Pakistani positions at Athmuqam opposite Keran forward area on the LoC.
Reports said that two Pakistani posts were hit in the Indian shelling and damaged extensively. The Pakistani army personnel deserted the posts in injured condition and fled away.
Fate of the injured Pakistan army personnel was not known but, reports said, they had sustained serious injuries.
Sources said the Indian retaliation was necessitated along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan army was directly targeting the civilian locations and was also trying to facilitate infiltration attempts by the militants.
Timely retaliation by the Indian troops has ensured that Pakistan army doesn’t succeed in push trained militants into Jammu and Kashmir for stepping-up militancy.
Pakistani Rangers also pounded civilian areas with mortars on the International Border in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district causing minor damage to some houses. Couple of cattle were also injured.
There has been panic among the border dwellers on both Line of Control (LoC) as well as International Border (IB) due to continued shelling and firing by Pakistan army and Rangers targeting civilian areas.
Civilians said Pakistan army was using 120mm long range mortar shells to target the villages.
Meanwhile, at least two dozen houses were damaged in cross LoC shelling by Indian and Pakistani troops in Teetwal area of Tanghdar sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district yesterday.
At least eight villages along the LoC came under heavy shelling from Pakistan last evening which end at 7 pm. Indian army gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani troops shelling in the area.
The shells fell in the villages of Dhani, Amwori, Saidpora, Chamkot, Panjtara, Chaterkadi and Amroi where at least two dozen houses were damaged. However, there was no casualty.
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