One soldier was killed in sniper fire by Pakistani troops in the Balakote sector of Poonch in the Pir Panchal Valley on Tuesday.
A police officer said Naik Mohandera Chenjung of 7/11 GR Regiment was hit on the head while manning a post on the Line of Control at Chera around 1.30 p.m. He was rushed to a nearby medical emergency room where doctors declared him brought dead.
The incident, which triggered an exchange of fire that lasted several hours, comes a day after two children were killed in Pakistani shelling in Poonch.
Restraint advised
Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have urged Pakistani and Indian forces to exercise restraint.
“Precious lives have been lost in the shoot-out between India and Pakistan. Both countries should observe restraint. Any flare-up may lead to a war in the subcontinent, of which devastations none can bear,” Mr. Geelani said.
He asked the international community “to take serious and effective steps for a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue”.
The Mirwaiz voiced concerns over the loss of lives on both sides of the Line of Control.
“The war-like situation ... is only because of the lingering Kashmir dispute. It is high time India and Pakistan took concrete steps to resolve the issue so as to ensure lasting peace in the region.”
Special Correspondent from Delhi adds:
Centre to blame, says Congress
The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the government over the militants attack on a BSF camp near the Srinagar airport, accusing it of compromising national security, with Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala saying the government had proved to be a “total failure”. The government has compromised national security,” he said.
