Alert sounded after suspected movement of Pakistan aircraft near LoC in Poonch

JAMMU: An alert was sounded along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after a suspected Pakistani aircraft was spotted there, even as the army took up the matter with the Air Force to ascertain possibility of an airspace violation.

Official sources said that in the morning hours, a trail of smoke was seen above the Line of Control in Poonch sector that started from Shahpur area and ended at Saujiyan.

“It is being suspected that an aircraft flew over Line of Control in the area and travelled around 3-5 kilometres area,” said a source.

“As there was no movement of any aircraft from Indian side in the area today morning, it becomes evident that the suspected aircraft was from Pakistani side as a trail of smoke also moved towards Pakistan in the forward Kahota area of Pakistan-administered Kashmir,” added the source.

An official while terming the issue as a cause of concern said that matter has been taken up by the army with the Air Force, which is the nodal authority to confirm any air space violation.

“Although confirmation from the Air force is awaited but this clearly seems a case of movement of Pak aircraft but whether it entered inside Indian territory or moved only above the buffer zone is a matter of investigation,” he said.