Jawan martyred in Pak firing on LoC; 3 killed in Indian retaliation

JAMMU: At least three Pakistanis were killed and several of its posts were destroyed in Indian retaliation on Tuesday, after enemy nation’s unprovoked shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district resulted into martyrdom of an Army jawan and injuries to four others.
The fresh shelling from Pakistan came only three days after it had breached the ceasefire in Rajouri district killing a Army soldier, prompting strong response from the Indian Army which inflicted casualties and heavy damage to Pakistan Army posts.
Hours after today’s shelling, Pakistan continued its nefarious designs and claimed of having killed six Indian soldiers, which was rebutted by India strongly and dismissed the claims as ‘fake’ and ‘fictious’.
According to Defence Ministry officials, Pakistan violated ceasefire at 11 a.m. by firing small arms and shelling mortars and targeting forward posts and villages in the Krishna Ghati sector and Mendhar sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu region.
In the exchange of fire, Naik Ravi Ranjan Kumar Singh (36) attained martyrdom while four other sustained injuries and were out of danger.
A defence spokesman said Naik Singh, hailed from Gope Bigha village of Rohtas in Bihar and is survived by wife, Rita Devi.
"He was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty", the spokesman said.
The Indian Army responded effectively, causing heavy damage to Pakistani Army posts and casualties to Pakistani soldiers, the defence spokesman said.
"Heavy damage to Pakistan army posts and casualties to Pakistan soldiers have been inflicted by our troops," he said.
Pakistan in the evening admitted that three of its nationals were killed in Indian retaliation, while it kept mum on the damage of its posts.
The cross-border firing between the two sides continued till late Tuesday.
However, Pakistan later in the day claimed to have killed six Indian security personnel in cross-border firing, which was dismissed by the Indian Army as "fake".
The Army said there were no ceasefire violations by India across the LoC.
"Pakistan had violated ceasefire in the Krishna Ghati sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. One Indian soldier was killed in the shelling while four others were injured. The claims made by Pakistan through the tweet are fake and fictitious," a senior Army official told.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, the spokesperson for Pakistan's Armed Forces Major General Asif Ghafoor had tweeted claiming that India had violated ceasefire along the LoC in the Tatta Pani sector. The casualties on the side of Pakistan, as per Ghafoor, were three including a seven-year-old boy.
"Pakistan Army's befitting response to Indian CFVs in Tatta Pani Sector along LOC. Indian fire had martyred 3 civilians including a 7-year-old boy. Pakistan Army targeted Indian posts. 6 Indian soldiers including an officer killed, many injured 2 bunkers destroyed," Ghafoor had tweeted.
Army authorities said the "fake" tweet only buttresses the fact that Pakistan as a nation is only a propaganda machinery.
"Initiation of ceasefire violation by false figure of Indian casualties is Pakistan's deliberate design to up the ante along the Line of Control to desperately seek international attention. Unlike Pakistan Army, the Indian Army never hides the casualties," said the Army in a release.
On August 15, too, Pakistan Army had claimed to have killed five Indian soldiers in "retaliation to unprovoked firing by India" across the LoC. The Indian Army had rubbished this claim which had been made through the Twitter handle of the Pakistani armed forces' spokesperson.

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