JOIN USIn yet another provocation and that too on Eid-ul-Fitr, Pakistani army violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday killing an Indian soldier on Saturday.
A defence spokesperson said Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars on a routine Indian army patrol, 700 meters inside Indian territory in Nowshera sector along the LoC on Saturday morning.
Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said.
Rifleman Bikas Gurung was grievously injured and succumbed to injuries. The 21-year-old soldier belonged to Khunka Khuki village of Manipur and is survived by his mother.
Officials said due to frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan, there was no customary exchange of sweets between the forces of the two nations on the occasion of Eid.
The latest killing of an army man comes just three days after four BSF personnel, including an officer, were killed and five others were injured in unprovoked firing by Pakistan in Samba district of Jammu on Wednesday.
The killings have shattered the rickety 2003 ceasefire, which director general military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had on May 29 agreed to respect and uphold. Since the beginning of this year, the number of persons killed in over 850 incidents of Pakistani shelling along the IB and Line of Control (LoC) in the state has risen to 51. The deceased include 25 security personnel and 26 civilians.
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 rise, the Jammu and Kashmir government has started of family-type bunkers along the LoC for the safety of border residents. A pilot project 102 such bunkers were completed recently in Rajouri district.
The Centre had earlier this year, sanctioned 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, 7,162 underground bunkers would be constructed along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts, officials said.