In frustration, Pak deploys snipers along LoC

'Nearly one dozen soldiers killed in sniping since Surgical Strikes'

@Deepak Khajuria

Jammu: Not been able to dominate Indian army in cross-LoC firing after numerous ceasefire violations at 720 kms long Line of Control (LoC) with India, after surgical strikes, Pakistan has adopted the coward strategy of sniping of Indian soldiers.
Post surgical strikes conducted by Indian army on militant training camps and launching pads near LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Pakistan violated ceasefire for number of times and made Indian forces engaged in cross border or cross-LoC firing, still not able to take over on Indian army. So killing of soldiers with sniper shots is the new strategy of Pakistan at LoC. Official sources said that to counter Indian Army's aggressive posture at LoC, Pakistan army is learnt to have deployed 'snipers' (sharp shooters) along all its forward posts from Pallanwala to Keran or Machil sectors in North Kashmir. As snipping is not possible in Kargil and Drass, Pak did not attempt in that areas.
Since October 2016, around one dozen Indian soldiers have lost their lives in different sniping incidents at different parts of LoC. In the recent incident on Friday evening, an Army soldier identified as Rifleman Jayadrath Singh (28) of 2 Raj Rifles attained martyrdom, whereas another soldier sufferred injuries in snipper attack by Pak at Sunderbani sector at LoC.
Meanwhile, few days earlier on July 12, two Jawans were killed in sniper fire by the Pakistani Army in Keran sector of North Kashmir.
"Under a planning and strategy, the snipers remain deployed at odd locations close to the forward posts to target Indian jawans proceeding on long patrols and forward locations," Defence sources said, adding, "When border skirmishes peaked in the aftermath of Surgical Strikes, even Indian army instructed own jawans to use trenches to move between bunkers across all the forward posts."
Army sources said that these instructions were given to the post commanders to minimise the risk factor as Indian army already have this input that Pak has deployed snipers at many forward areas. These instructions were issued after closely observing a pattern of sniper attacks by the Pak Army from across the LoC.
"In comparison to our army, Pak army relies more on their team of snipers to target enemy jawans and 2-6 snipers are attached with one armed Batallion deployed along the LoC by Pak," said sources.
Snipers are armed with high precision rifles and these sharp shooters are an asset of a Pak unit deployed on the LoC. They have the capacity to shoot a target of 1,200 metres away and prevent any physical assault on own post and Pak have done many such successful attempts in the recent past.
It is worth to mention that in view of the rising incidents of sniper shot from Pakistan, even the BSF has taken preventive measures such as placing nets in border outposts and observation posts.

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Timeline of snipping by Pak after surgical strikes


Ø Oct 16, 2016: Sepoy Sudesh Kumar of 6 Rajput was killed by a Pak sniper at LoC in Rajouri sector.
Ø Oct 21, 2016: BSF constable Gurnam Singh was killed along the Indo-Pak International border at Hirnagar sector.
Ø Nov 9, 2016: Rifleman Sandeep Singh Rawat was hit in the neck, killing him instantly as he stood guard along the fence in the Kupwara sector in Kashmir.
Ø March 9, 2017: Sepoy Deepak Jagannath Ghadge of Maharashtra died after he was hit by a similar sniper fire by Pakistani troops in Gulpur area of Poonch.
Ø April 2017: An Indian soldier deployed at a forward post in Bhimbder Gali area of Poonch was targeted from across the Line of Control by jawans of Pak Army's 650 Mujahid.
Ø April 2017: Another Indian jawan lost his life in 'accidental' firing while he was moving through communication trench on the orders of post commander in Mendhar sector.
Ø July 12, 2017: two Jawans were killed in sniper fire by the Pakistani Army in Keran sector of north Kashmir.