2 soldiers killed, 3 injured as Pak violates ceasefire

The Indian army said that while the infiltration bids were foiled, it has also inflicted heavy damage to several Pakistani posts across the Line of Control in Poonch sector.

Two army jawans were killed and three others including two soldiers and a woman were injured as Pakistani army opened fire in a bid to facilitate two infiltration bids along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors of Poonch district on Sunday.

The Indian army said that while the infiltration bids were foiled, it has also inflicted heavy damage to several Pakistani posts across the Line of Control in Poonch sector. "One soldier was killed in Krishna Ghati sector earlier in the day while foiling infiltration bids, another soldier was killed and two others were injured in cross-border firing in the Poonch sector of Poonch district," a senior army officer said.

The soldier killed in the Krishna Ghati sector has been identified as Sepoy Gursewak Singh (23) of 22 Sikh Regiment. Singh is a resident of Taran Taran area of Punjab. The injured woman has been identified Saleema Akhtar (28), a resident of Poonch. Akhtar has been admitted to the local hospital in Poonch where her condition is stated to be stable, a police officer said.

"The identity of the second soldier killed in Poonch sector and those injured will be shared later after their families are informed," the officer said. He said that unprovoked ceasefire violation in Poonch sector continued. "Our troops are responding befittingly, there has been heavy damage to Pakistan army posts," the spokesman said. "The Army foiled two infiltration bids on the intervening night of November 5, 6 along Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati Sector," he said.

"The infiltrators opened fire while trying to sneak back towards Pakistan-occupied Kashmir side of Line of Control (LoC). In the ensuring firefight with infiltrators Sepoy Gursewak Singh suffered gunshot wound and succumbed to his injuries while being evacuated," he said.

At least four places came under indiscriminate shelling and firing by Pakistani army targeting civil and defence facilities and civilian areas, the officer said. "Unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan army in Poonch sector from 1015 hours using 120 mm mortars, 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons," the spokesman said. He said the Indian army effectively and appropriately retaliated the fire using same caliber weapons, shelling and firing exchange was still on.

PTI