Four security forces personnel killed in ceasefire violation by Pak along LoC

Four security forces personnel were killed on Friday, in multiple ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) from Gurez sector to Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI. According to officials three civilians were killed as well. 

Officials said that the Pakistani troops fired mortars and other weapons. While two Army soldiers were killed in the Pakistani firing in  Nambla sector in Uri, a BSF sub-inspector was killed and a jawan was injured in Haji Peer sector.

According to the officials, two civilians were killed in Kamalkote sector in Uri area of Baramulla district while a woman was killed in Balkote area in Haji Peer sector of Uri.

They said apart from various places in Uri, the ceasefire violations were reported from Izmarg in Gurez sector of Bandipora district and Keran sector of Kupwara district.

A defence spokesman said the Army foiled an infiltration bid, which was aided by the ceasefire violation, along the LoC in the Keran sector.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told PTI, “Suspicious movement was observed by our troops at the forward posts along the LoC in Keran sector (in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district) today. The suspected infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops.”

He added, “They fired mortars and other weapons. Befitting response is being given.”

In New Delhi, BSF officials said SI Rakesh Doval, 39, deployed at the force’s artillery battery at the LoC in Baramulla was killed after he sustained head injury in the firing around 1315 hours.

Constable Vasu Raja sustained splinter injuries on his arms and cheeks. He was deployed at the same forward defended location, they said, adding the constable is stable.

Almost all BSF units along the LoC are facing heaving firing since morning and an effective retaliation by the troops, artillery regiment and support weapons has been mounted, a senior officer of the force said.

The BSF works under the operational command of the Army at the LoC.

The senior officer said, “The Sub Inspector has made supreme sacrifice in line of duty while facing heavy ceasefire violation from the enemy. The sub-officer was a resident of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand and joined the border force in 2004.”

Doval is survived by his father, wife and a nine-year-old daughter, he said.

In Srinagar, Kalia said the ceasefire violation spread to larger areas from Keran to Uri sectors. This was the second infiltration attempt within a week. The earlier unsuccessful bid in Machil sector during the intervening night of November 7- 8 was foiled in which three militants were killed.

Three Army soldiers, including a Captain, and a BSF jawan also lost their lives during the operation.

“India Army is well poised to defeat all attempts by Pakistan to infiltrate terrorists into J-K,” the spokesman said.