Pakistan violates ceasefire again, targets Indian posts in J-K’s Mankote sector

The violation comes two days after Pakistani soldiers killed and mutilated two Indian soldiers in a cross-LoC raid.

Pakistan on early Wednesday opened fire at Indian posts in Jammu and Kashmir’s Mankote sector, targetting positions close to the area where two Indian soldiers were killed in a cross-LoC raid two days ago.

Naib subedar Paramjit Singh's mother breaks down as his body arrives in Vain Poin village in Punjab’s Amritsar on Tuesday. Singh was one of the two soldiers killed and mutilated in a cross-border raid by the Pakistan army a day earlier.(PTI photo)

The Pakistani side started firing at around 1.30am and the exchange continued for five hours, intelligence sources said of the latest ceasefire violation by the neighbouring country.

There were unconfirmed reports of a soldier being injured, the source said.

On Monday, Pakistan’s border action team sneaked into Indian territory and mutilated two soldiers in the Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district.

The ambush, backed by mortar shelling and machine gun fire, on a 10-member joint patrol of the Border Security Force and army killed naib subedar Paramjit Singh, a 42-year-old junior commissioned officer with 22 Sikh Regiment, and 45-year-old head constable Prem Sagar of the BSF’s 200 Battalion.

Their bodies were found beheaded at the Krishna Ghati sector.

Outraged over the cross-LoC raid, India on Tuesday told Pakistan that the dastardly and inhuman act merited an unequivocal response.

Speaking to his Pakistani counterpart, director general of military operations Lt Gen AK Bhatt also expressed concern over BAT training camps coming up along the de facto border.

Pakistan has denied its troops were involved in the attack.

Inter Services Public Relations, publicity wing of the Pakistan army, asked India to refrain from steps that “may lead to vitiating of environment and affect peace along LoC”.

On Tuesday night, militants snatched service rifles of five policemen guarding the court complex in Shopian district of Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.

A group of militants sneaked into the court premises and overpowered the five policemen on duty, the official said.

They took away SLR rifles of the policemen. No one was hurt in the incident.

In recent weeks, Kashmir has seen a spike in militant violence largely targeted at security personnel and installations even as violent street protests continue.

With agency inputs