Kashmir: Two soldiers killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch

Indian troops guarding the border line retaliated effectively, an Army officer said.

Two security forces personnel were killed and another injured as Pakistani troops on Monday morning targeted a forward Indian post at Kerni along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati area without any provocation. While the defence ministry spokesperson Lt Colonel Manish Mehta said he was trying to collect information, sources said the deceased included an Army Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh and a head constable of Border Security Force Prem Sagar. The other BSF constable was stated to be stable.

Giving details, sources said the ceasefire violation from across the LoC took place at around 8.30 am when Pakistani troops suddenly started pounding the Indian forward post with rockets and mortar shells. The injured were evacuated to a hospital, but two of them later succumbed to injuries. The Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire was continuing at the time of filing the report.

Significantly, Kerni falls along the well-known infiltration routes of militants who have reportedly assembled in good numbers at launching pads across the border waiting for an opportunity to cross over to this side.

During the past month, there have been numerous attempts by terrorists to sneak over to this side. In one such attempt early April, an army JCO was killed in an IED blast near LoC in Degwar area. The deceased JCO was part of the army patrol party, sources said, adding that IED was planted by militants who, however, returned to Pakistan occupied Kashmir in view of heightened vigil on the Indian side.