2 soldiers, civilian killed in Pak firing

SRINAGAR: Two soldiers and a civilian were killed in a ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district on Sunday, ahead of India’s retaliatory firing which saw heavy damages to Pakistan.
“Two soldiers and a civilian were killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire in Tangadhar sector of Kupwara district on Sunday,” police said.
Three civilians were also injured in the firing by Pakistani troops, and two houses were damaged in the incident, it said.
In a statement, the Indian Army said Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked cease fire violations to assist infiltration by terrorists into Indian territories in the Tangadhar sector on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday.
The Army identified the soldiers as Hawaldar Padam Bahadur Shrestha and Rifleman Gamil Kumar Shrestha.
Civilian areas in Ghundhishat village in Tangdhar were also hit by the Pakistan Army's artillery firing on Saturday night.
The deceased civilian has been identified as Mohammed Sadiq, 55.
The three injured civilians have been identified as Mohammed Maqbool, 70, Mohammed Shafi, 50, and Yusuf Hamid, 22.
"As a result calibrated escalation of area weapons was undertaken by the Indian side in which terrorist launch pads and several Pakistan Army posts giving incidental protection to these launch pads and certain gun positions were hit," the Army said.
It said Indian Army retains the right to respond at a time and place of its choosing in case Pakistan Army continues to assist terrorist activities across Indian borders.
The incident comes a day before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat scheduled visit to Ladakh for the inauguration of a strategic bridge.

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