Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling on forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Rajouri and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, prompting Indian troops to retaliate.
The Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, heavy automatics and mortars from 1240 hours along the LoC in Naushera sector in Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said.
“The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is presently on,” he said.
In another ceasefire violation, Pakistan Rangers started firing on forward BSF troops in Ramgarh sector in Samba district along the IB, a senior BSF officer said, adding that the BSF also retaliated.
From Saturday evening, Pakistani troops had opened fire with small arms, automatics and mortars along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector. Reports said they also targeted the civilian population and hamlets in Krishnaghati and Balanar areas of Poonch district triggering panic among the residents.
The residential areas and hamlets were hit with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs.
Suicide squad
The Army said that the five militants killed in a counter-infiltration operation along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector on Friday belonged to a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) squad and were planning a suicide attack.
Search operation
“So far, in the search operations, a huge quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered, including five AK 47 rifles, two UBGLs, a large quantity of explosives, combat dresses, incendiary material, eatables with Pakistani markings and uniquely body-fitted IEDs with timer mechanisms.
“All this indicates that this was a fidayeen group which was infiltrated into the sector with the sinister plan of carrying out a gruesome attack on an Army camp or a civilian installation around Uri,” Brigadier Y.S. Ahlawat said. This is the fifth infiltration bid foiled by the Army in the last three days.
