Jawan killed in Pak firing in yet another ceasefire violation

A trooper was killed on Tuesday night when the Pakistani Army fired at Indian forward posts along the Line of Control in Balakote sub-sector (LoC) of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

A defence spokesman said Lance Naik M S Khan of the 15 Bihar Regiment was killed after being hit by a mortar shell fired by Pakistani troops at a forward Indian post on the LoC.

“The latest exchange of fire started from 5:30 pm and continued till late in the evening. Firoz Khan lost his life due to unprovoked firing by Pak Army in Bhimbar Gali Sector. He was hit by splinters of a mortar shell and succumbed to his injuries in the evening,” he said.

The General Officer Commanding of 16-Corps has expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Khan, who is a resident of Char Minar, Hyderabad, and is survived by his wife and two children.

The spokesman said the Tuesday night ceasefire violation was the second of the day and the eighth in less than a week. The Pakistan Army has been continuously pounding Indian forward areas along the LoC in Poonch drawing retaliation from the Indian side. This year, India has witnessed over 130 ceasefire violations.