Indiscriminate mortar shelling, automatics and small arms fire from across the LoC in Noushera sector started at 2 pm and Krishna Ghati sector at 4.45 pm. (Express photo/File)
An army naik was killed as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling, automatic and small arms firing on Indian side of the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wedneday.
Identifying the deceased soldier as Naik Thorat Kiran Popatrao, 31, of Maharashtra’s Fakirabad Wadi village (Ladgaon post office, Waijapur tehsil) in Aurangabad district, a defence ministry spokesperson here said that he was grievously hurt in Krishna Ghati sector during firing from across the border and later succumbed to his injuries. He is survived by his wife Aarti Naik, spokesperson said, adding that Naik Popatrao was a brave and sincere soldier and the nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty.
Giving details, the spokesperson said that indiscriminate mortar shelling, automatics and small arms fire from across the LoC in Noushera sector started at 2 pm and Krishna Ghati sector at 4.45 pm. The Indian army retaliated strongly and effectively, he added.
Popatrao was the third soldier killed in Pakistani shelling since Monday evening as earlier two soldiers were killed in unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire by Pakistani troops from across the LoC in Rajouri district’s Sunderbani sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening. The deceased included rifleman Vinod Singh and rifleman Jaki Sharma. Both the soldiers had got grievously hurt in the firing and they later succumbed to their injuries.