Soldier martyred in Pak firing on LoC, India retaliates heavily

Northern Army commander visits forward bases

JAMMU: An Army personnel was killed in Pakistani Army firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district on Friday—the fourth day in a row, even as a visit by the Northern Army commander at the forward bases in Poonch and Akhnoor sectors along the LoC was underway.

The unprovoked firing by Pakistan prompted strong retaliation from the Indian side, and heavy damage including that to life and property has been inflicted on the other side of the fence.

"Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Nowshera sector," Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said.

Naik Rajib Thapa, 34, was manning a forward post in Kalsia village of Nowshera sector when it came under unprovoked firing from across the border in the early hours.

The soldier was critically injured and was immediately evacuated to a military hospital where he succumbed to injuries, he said.

He said the Indian Army responded strongly and effectively to the ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

“Heavy damage to Pakistani Army posts and casualties to Pakistani soldiers have been inflicted in the retaliatory action,” he added.

The exact number of casualties on the Pakistani side was not known.

Thapa was a resident of Mechpara village in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. He is survived by wife Khusbu Mangar Thapa.

“Thapa was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," Lt Col Anand said.

The killing of Thapa raised the death toll in the cross-border firing in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch since August 17 to four -- three soldiers and one civilian.

While an Army jawan and a youth were killed and four soldiers injured in heavy Pakistani shelling and firing in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on August 20, another soldier was killed in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on August 17.

On August 15, Pakistan had said its four personnel were killed in the Indian firing along the LoC.

Amid escalated tension following the frequent border skirmishes, a top Army commander Friday visited forward bases in Poonch and Akhnoor sectors along the LoC and expressed satisfaction on measures adopted to strengthen the counter infiltration posture with increased alertness.

The visit by General Officer Commanding, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh comes in the wake of nearly a dozen ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch over the past week.

He was accompanied by White Knight Corps Commander Lt Gen Paramjit Singh during the visit, a defence spokesman said.

"The Army commander expressed satisfaction on measures adopted to strengthen counter-infiltration posture with increased alertness and use of high-end technology. He also appreciated the aggressive domination of LoC adopted to give befitting response to adversary's ceasefire violations and tactical actions," the official said.

Lt Gen Ranbir Singh appreciated the coordination between the Army, civil administration and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), and complemented the troops for bringing the situation in the districts of Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi back to normal.