Eleven, including six civilians killed in ceasefire violations along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: Five security forces personnel were among 11 people killed in multiple ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) from Gurez to Uri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, officials said. Later in the day, India responded with retaliatory firing in which 11 Pakistan Army soldiers were killed, reported  India today. Following this, Pakistan Foreign Office has summoned an Indian diplomat on Saturday to discuss the LoC incident. A press conference by Pakistan’s Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG-ISPR) and Pakistani Foreign Minister is scheduled for 11 am (IST) for Saturday. Giving details of the casualties on the Indian side, earlier in the day, Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said Pakistan used mortars and other weapons and deliberately targeted civilian areas. The troops retaliated strongly causing causalities and substantial damage to Pakistan Army’s infrastructure across the LoC, he said. “Several ammunition dumps, FOL dumps and multiple terrorist launch pads have been damaged,” the defence spokesman said. Four Army personnel, a BSF sub-inspector and six civilians were killed in Pakistani action while four security forces personnel and eight civilians were injured, according to  The Hindu. “Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC spread across multiple sectors to include Dawar, Keran, Uri and Naugam. Three Indian Army soldiers have been killed in action and three soldiers injured,” Kalia said. A BSF sub-inspector was killed in Haji Peer sector while a jawan was injured, officials said. Two civilians were killed in Kamalkote sector, also in Uri, while a woman was killed in Balkote area in Haji Peer sector, they added. They said apart from various places in Uri, the ceasefire violations were reported from Izmarg in Gurez sector of Bandipora district and Keran sector of Kupwara district. A defence official in Jammu said Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice in Poonch district. “Around 1345 and 1445 hours today, Pakistani army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in sector in Sawjian in Poonch,” he said, adding Indian troops retaliated in a befitting manner. Earlier, Kalia said the Army foiled an infiltration bid, which was aided by the ceasefire violation, along the LoC in the Keran sector. “Suspicious movement was observed by our troops at the forward posts along the LoC in Keran sector (in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district) today. The suspected infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops,” he said, adding. This was the second infiltration attempt within a week. The earlier unsuccessful bid in Machil sector during the intervening night of 7-8 November was foiled in which three militants were killed. Three Army soldiers, including a Captain, and a BSF jawan also lost their lives during the operation. In New Delhi, BSF officials said SI Rakesh Doval, 39, deployed at the force’s artillery battery at the LoC in Baramulla was killed after he sustained head injury in the firing around 1315 hours. Constable Vasu Raja sustained splinter injuries on his arms and cheeks. He was deployed at the same forward defended location, they said, adding the constable is stable. Almost all BSF units along the LoC are facing heaving firing since morning and an effective retaliation by the troops, artillery regiment and support weapons has been mounted, a senior officer of the force said. The BSF works under the operational command of the Army at the LoC. “The Sub Inspector has made supreme sacrifice in line of duty while facing heavy ceasefire violation from the enemy. The sub-officer was a resident of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand and joined the border force in 2004,” the officer said. Doval is survived by his father, wife and a nine-year-old daughter, he said.