India on high alert as 2 Pak fighter jets fly close to LoC
TNN Bureau. Updated: 3/14/2019 11:44:04 AM
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JAMMU: Even as the recent Indo-Pakistan border tensions are yet to cool down, two Pakistani fighters jets have been detected going supersonic very close to the Line of Control (LoC) within the territory of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Poonch sector, prompting India to put its air defence systems on high alert and sounding an alert along the international border and the LoC in State.
The incident has taken place on Tuesday night, defence sources informed.
“Indian air defence radars detected two Pakistani Air Force jets go supersonic just 10 kilometres from the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The activity on the Pakistani side was reported near the Poonch sector in J&K,” they informed, adding that India has put its air defence systems on high alert.
“Loud bangs were heard in the area due to the sonic booms. In the wake of the development, all Indian air defences and radar systems are on high alert,” they said.
“An air alert has been sounded along the international border and the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir,” they added.
"This is the first time after the Indian Air Force scrambled to push back Pakistani fighter jets which entered our air space in Nowshera sector on February 27 that Pakistani fighter jets flew this close to the LoC," an official said.
On February 27, Pakistani fighters had transgressed into the Indian air space in Jammu and Kashmir and tried to target Indian military positions before they were chased away.
In the dogfight, one F-16 fighter of Pakistan Air Force was shot down by the Indian Air Force, which also lost a MiG-21 Bison plane.
India lost a Mig-21 Bison and its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured by Pakistan and returned two days later while a Pakistani F-16 jet was downed by Abhinandan before his fighter jet was shot down.
Last week, the Indian Air Force had stated that it will continue to maintain a high state of preparedness in the wake of Pakistan deciding not to open its airspace in the Indo-Pak air boundary.
The IAF had further said that it will proactively engage any perceived threat that emerges from Pakistan.
The Indian Air Force has been maintaining a strict vigil to thwart any fresh act of aggression from the Pakistan Air Force.
On February 26, IAF jets had conducted pre-dawn air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror training camp at Balakot – the government described the terror camp as JeM’s biggest.
The air strikes had come after the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, in which 40 personnel were martyred. The attack was carried out by a JeM suicide bomber.