Indian Army kills four Pakistan soldiers

At least four Pakistani soldiers were killed by Indian Army firing on Monday along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Four soldiers of Pakistan Army have embraced martyrdom in unprovoked Indian firing along the Line of Control in Jandrot-Kotli Sector. The troops were busy in line communication maintenance when they were fired upon and hit by heavy mortar round by Indian forces," Pakistan government said in a tweet.

While Indian Army didn't officially comment on the incident and the death count, an agency report from Jammu, quoting unnamed army sources claimed as many as seven Pakistan soldiers were killed and four injured in "rataliatory action" in Poonch district.

"Army carried out retaliation against Pakistani troops across Jaglote area along the LoC in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. In the retaliatory action, there were seven fatal causalities to Pakistani troops and four others injured," a senior Army officer said.

In Delhi, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat refused to go into the specifics on the firing exchange, but maintained India would step up its retaliatory action if compelled by the Pakistan Army.

"Ceasefire violations by Pakistan happen frequently, to which we respond effectively. We will take even stronger steps against our enemies if we are compelled to do so," Gen Rawat said at the Army Day function.

The pounding of the Pakistan posts by the Indian Army came two days after an Indian Army soldier Lance Naik Yogesh Muralidhar Bhadane was killed in unprovoked firing by Pakistan Army on Indian posts in Sunderbani sector on Saturday. Lance Naik Bhadane was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries.

The 740 km long disputed boundary between India and Pakistan witnessed heightened action in the last two-three years with more than 820 instances of ceasefire violations recorded in 2017. This is a sharp spike from the figures in 2016 (228) and 2015 (152). As many as 61 Indian soldiers were killed in action in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017.

The Army Chief on Friday affirmed that India would not reduce its retaliatory firing unless the neighbouring country stopped violating the 2003 ceasefire agreement and pushed the terrorists under fire cover.

"Pakistan suffer 3-4 times higher casualties due to ceasefire violations. They are feeling the pain and requested us to maintain ceasefire along the LoC," Gen Rawat had stated.