The Indian Army on Wednesday blamed Pakistani troops for violating the ceasefire for a second time since Monday in Kupwara's Nowgam sector. For the first time since the ceasefire came into effect, Pakistani troops fired 82-mm mortars towards the Indian posts, the Army claimed, adding that there were no casualties in the incident. Despite provocation from across the border, troops posted along the LoC exercised maximum restraint and didn't retaliate, the Army claimed. "Around 11.43 am, Pakistani troops fired three 82-mm mortars towards our Naina post. But, our troops didn't retaliate," Defence spokesman Anil Mathur told The Indian Express.After 45 minutes, three more 82-mm mortars were fired from the Pakistani side, he said. "Soon after the firing, battalion commander level messages were exchanged between the two sides. Pakistani officers were asked to stop firing and not to let the situation escalate. After the telephonic conversation, firing from the Pakistani posts stopped," he added. Mathur said the Indian post that came under mortar attack was close to the place where Pakistani troops had made incursion on Monday evening killing a jawan. "It's a matter of concern that Pakistani troops resorted to mortar firing," he added.On Monday, the Army had claimed that Pakistani soldiers had crossed the LoC near near Khyan bowl in Nowgam sector killing a jawan. On Tuesday, to defuse the tension, a sector level flag meeting between India and Pakistan was held at Teetwal. Sources said the situation in Kupwara got tense after 12 infiltrators were killed by the Army near Sadna. The Army also lost six soldiers, including three officers in the operation that lasted for five days. Soon after the incident, the Army started setting up surveillance posts right from Eagle Post in Tanghdar up to Nowgam. Though sources said these surveillance posts were temporary, the Pakistani troops are less than impressed. Meanwhile, with the Army fearing that militants will use old launching pads in PoK to sneak into the Nowgam and Tanghdar sectors, patrolling in the area has been intensified and new surveillance posts created.
