M A I N   N E W S

Jawan injured as Pak troops target 8 forward posts 
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 23
Pakistan troops today again violated the ceasefire and targeted at least eight Indian forward posts in Poonch district, 210 km north of Jammu.

“The posts on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Krishna Ghati (KG) sector in Poonch district were engaged in heavy fire by Pak troops”, Brigadier-General Staff (BGS) of the 16 Corps, Brig Gurdeep Singh, told The Tribune.

“The troops opened unprovoked machine gun fire around 9.05 a.m today and also fired 20 rockets, besides four mortar bombs on eight of our forward posts and as a result, one of our jawans, C. Narayanan of the 17 Mahar, sustained injuries”, said Brigadier Singh. The intermittent firing continued till 12.40 p.m.,he said, and described it as a clear case of ceasefire violation.

“We have already lodged a strong protest with our counterparts and at the same time are trying to hold a flag meeting at the earliest”, said Brigadier Singh.

Defence sources said the Pakistani troops first opened fire on the Kranti, Kirpan and Deep Complex posts in the KG sector on the LoC from Pimple, Daku and Battal posts on their side.

“They also resorted to intermittent firing on five other posts, including Ghora and Alpha”, they added.

“Though Pakistan has been resorting to ceasefire violations in the past in the KG sector to push in armed ultras, never before have we witnessed such a major violation “, a local from Mendhar told this correspondent over the phone.

Unconfirmed reports said at least three soldiers of the 653 Mujahid Battalion of the Pakistan Army guarding the Pimple, Daku and Battal posts on their side were killed when the Indian troops returned the fire.

It may be recalled here that the Pakistani troops had earlier opened fire in the KG sector on May 1, 6 and 18.