JAMMU, FEB 27: At least eight Indian soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were killed and three injured as Pakistani army commandos attacked an Indian post, after sneaking into this side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Noushera sector (Rajouri district) of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning.Identifying the Indian post as ``Ashok LP'', Brigadier Randhir Singh, BGS at the Nagrota corps, said that the post was surrounded by Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from three sides. Pointing out that the Pakistani attack came at around 4.30 am, he said that three to four Pakistani soldiers were also killed.Belonging to the Maratha Light Infantry, the dead soldiers have been identified as Sanjay Chogle, Seasi Oandu Rang Sridhar, Patil Tuka Ram, Khilase Raja Ram, Kalikar Bau Sahib and Rakesh Shridhar (all sepoys in the age group of 22-24 years). Subedar Sunder Yashwant Rao (43) was missing.The injured are Naik Santosh, Naik Lote Subash and Sepoy Saikwad Chandrakar. They have been hospitalised and their condition was stated to be out of danger.Brigadier Randhir Singh said Pakistani soldiers attacked the post under cover of heavy mortar and rocket fire from across the LoC. Defence sources, however, said that Pakistani commandoes had slit the throat of one of the soldiers on guard duty at the post, which the BGS later confirmed. Thereafter, they went to the bunker and sprayed bullets, killing six jawans and injuring three. The deceased and the injured bore AK rifle wounds indicating that they were fired from a close distance, sources added.The other Indian armymen at the post came to know about the attack only after the Pakistani commandoes blasted two of the bunkers. However, as the Indian side retaliated, the intruders started retreating.While they killed an Indian soldier on guard duty at the post, four jawans in a bunkers got roasted alive in mortar fire from across the LoC, the BGS said. Three to four Pakistani soldiers were also killed during retaliatory fire by the Indian Army, he said. However, the intruding Pakistani troops took away the bodies of their dead soldiers over to their side, leaving behind an AK 47 rifle, some rockets, grenades and a bayonet among other things, he added. The heavy exchange of mortar and rocket fire between the two sides continued till 8.30 am.Tension was mounting along the LoC as the exchange of mortar and rocket fire between the two sides re-started against in the evening. A number of families in the Laam area of Noushera sector have migrated to safer areas.Meanwhile, defence sources said that the Pakistani troops also resorted to heavy mortar and RCL fire at Indian positions along the LoC in Palanwala sector (Akhnoor tehsil) adjoining Noushera Sunday morning. However, there was no loss of life or damage to property on the Indian side.This is the fourth major flare-up along the LoC in Jammu region since last month. Only three days ago, the Pakistani troops had accused Indian soldiers of having intruded into its territory and killing 14 Pakistani soldiers.
