In a continuation of skirmishes that began early on Sunday morning on the line of control (LoC), two Indian soldiers were killed with the body of one reported to have been mutilated, said official sources.
PTI quoted Army’s Additional Director General (Public Information) Maj. Gen. S L Narasimhan as saying that Northern Commander Lt Gen K T Parnaik has visited the scene of action. “Northern Army Commander is in that area and as per him, one body is mutilated,’’ it quoted Gen. Narasimhan.
He said there was “no doubt’’ that Pakistani troops were behind the incident and ``they seem to have entered the Indian territory taking advantage of the thick fog and mist there.’’
On the social media, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said violation of the cease fire was bad enough, [but] to resort to mutilating soldiers is unacceptable in any civilised society.
However, noted Pakistani civil society activist Beena Sarwar found it difficult to believe that bodies of Indian soldiers had been mutilated. “I have my differences with Pakistan army but find it hard to believe that Pakistani soldiers would mutilate, behead bodies. That’s what Taliban do,’’ tweeted Ms. Sarwar who has often taken on the Pakistan Army on political issues.
Even as details of the incident were yet to filter in, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin denied Pakistan’s charge that Indian troops had fired first on Sunday.
According to the Indian version, Pakistan troops began unprovoked firing that damaged a roof in a village. Indian troops thereafter undertook “controlled retaliation”.
The firing led to the death of a Pakistani soldier. Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Pakistan Gopal Bagley was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
India, said Mr. Akbaruddin, was committed to the sanctity of the LoC which is one of the most important confidence-building measures between the two countries. Ceasefire along the LoC has largely held for nearly a decade and, as has been the case earlier, the designated military officers for such a situation have been in touch. “We would call upon Pakistan authorities to ensure the sanctity of the LoC is upheld at all times and such incidents of unprovoked firing eliminated,” added the spokesperson.
