Army Captain among four soldiers killed in Pakistan firing along LoC in J-K’s Rajouri

Nine security personnel have been killed this year in ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

An army officer and three other soldiers were killed and a BSF sub-inspector was injured in Pakistani firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tarkundi and Sunderbani areas of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday evening.

Army soldiers take positions near the Line of Control in Nowshera sector of Rajouri near Jammu.(PTI File Photo)

An officer in the rank of captain was among those killed in “unprovoked and indiscriminate” firing by Pakistan army around 3.30pm, confirmed the army in a statement.

“Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively and heavy damage has been inflicted on Pakistani Army Posts. However, in the exchange of fire, one officer and three jawans were grievously injured and succumbed to their injuries and attained martyrdom,” the statement added.

“Martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain. The unprovoked action by Pakistani Army will be given a befitting response,” the statement added.

The captain was six days short of his 23rd birthday, the PTI reported quoting a senior army officer.

Captain Kapil Kundu from Ransika village of Gurgaon district would have turned 23 on February 10, the report said.

Sources said the Pakistan’s border action team (BAT) took part in the attack.The BAT is an amalgam of Pakistan army commandos and Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists formed to inflict heavy casualties on Indian patrols along the Indo-Pak borders.

“LoC: One officer and 3 Jawans martyred in Rajouri . Most areas affected due to ceasefire violation,” Rajouri deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary posted on his Twitter account late Sunday.

The DC said all 84 schools located within 5km of the LoC from Sunderbani to Manjakote will remain closed for the next three days in view of the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

The deceased have been identified as captain Kapil Kundu, riflemen Ram Avtar and Shubam Singh and havildar Roshan Lal. BSF lance naik Iqbal Ahmed sustained injuries.

Nine security personnel have been killed in truce violation by the neighbouring country this year.

Earlier in the day, two teenagers and a jawan were injured in the Shahpur sector of Poonch district in the shelling from across the border, a police official said.

(With agency inputs)