Two armymen killed in Pak firing along LoC

Two army personnel were killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday night.

A Defence spokesperson said the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 17.15 hours (5.15 pm) in Sunderbani sector along LoC.

The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said.

"Two soldiers, identified as rifleman Vinod Singh and rifleman Jaki Sharma, were grievously injured in the exchange of fire. They succumbed to their injuries," he said.

Singh (24) belonged to Danapur, Jaurian village in Akhnoor district and Sharma (30) belonged to Sanhail Hiranagar.

Pakistan has been violating ceasefire along the LoC and international border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir frequently.

Since the third week of January, 29 persons, including 15 security personnel and 14 civilians, have been killed in Pakistani ceasefire violations along the LoC and the IB in Jammu.

Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed Parliament last week that Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the LoC and the IB 633 times in just two months this year.

On March 18, in one of the worst ceasefire violations in recent years, five members of a family, including minors, were killed while two others were injured in Pakistani shelling in Balakote sector along the LoC in Poonch district.

In February, four army personnel, including a 22-year-old captain, were killed in Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts.

With ceasefire violations from Pakistan on the rise, the Jammu and Kashmir government has constructed family-type bunkers along the LoC for the safety of border residents. As a pilot project, 102 such bunkers were completed recently in Rajouri district.

The  Centre had earlier this year sanctioned the construction of 14,460 community and individual bunkers along the LoC and the IB for border residents facing Pakistani shelling in the state.

While 7,298 bunkers would be constructed along the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, 7162 underground bunkers would be constructed along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts, officials said.