Soldier killed, four others injured in Pakistan shelling along LoC in J-K's Poonch

JAMMU: An army man was killed and four others including an officer injured in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

Defence spokesman Colonel N N Joshi said Pakistan Army breached the border ceasefire in Krishna Ghati sector along the LoC in Poonch district at around 7 am and resorted to indiscriminate firing on army positions.

He said the Pakistani troops also resorted to mortar shells on army posts.

“The fire was effectively returned by the army men,” Joshi said.

In the Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling, five soldiers including a Lieutenant were injured. The injured soldiers were evacuated to the army hospital in Udhampur, where one of the critically injured soldiers identified as Sepoy Mustapure Shubham Suryakant, 20, succumbed to injuries.

The injured soldiers identified as Lt Kallmputi Bhargava, 23, Naib Subedar Mahlya Vikas Motilal, 43, Subedar Sakunday Sameer Kashi Nath, 37 and Naik Dhumal Sandeep, 35,  are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

The deceased soldier Sepoy Mustapure belonged to village Konerwadi, Parbhani, Maharashtra and is survived by mother.

An army official said a heavy exchange of gunfire and mortar shelling continued in the Krishna Ghati sector for about an hour.

“Later, the guns on both sides fell silent,” he said.

With the killing of the soldier in Pakistani troops firing, the death toll of security men and civilians killed in cross-LoC firing and mortar shelling along the LoC and International Border (IB) in J&K has risen to 27.

Among the dead include 13 security personnel and 14 civilians.

There has been a surge in ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and IB in J&K this year. Over 430 incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC and more than 200 along IB in the State have been reported in first three months this year.

Meanwhile, militants abducted and killed a  youth in Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district today.

A police spokesman said four Laskar militants barged into the house of one Farooq Ahmad Parrey at Par Mohalla Hajin in Bandipora district at around 10 pm last evening and attacked the inmates with knives and firearm.

“The wife, daughter and brother of house owner sustained injuries in the attack. The militants abducted house owner’s son-in-law Muntazir Ahad Parray,” he said.

The bullet-ridden body of Muntazir was recovered in the afternoon. It was second killing by militants in Farooq’s family in two years.

Earlier, last year militants had shot dead Farooq’s son Muzzafar Ahad Parrey.