Srinagar, Sept 1: Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged fire in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district late Wednesday night, army officials in both countries said on Thursday.
Each accused the other of starting the shooting. Major General Athar Abbas, the Pakistani Army spokesman, said that Indian soldiers had killed three Pakistani soldiers in a volley of gunfire that was “totally unprovoked.”
But Army’s Srinagar based spokesman Lt Col J S Brar, a spokesman said that shooting began over an infiltration attempt by militants on Tuesday night and that Indian soldiers had fired across the contentious border in Keran sector only after incoming fire injured one of their soldiers.
“Soldiers noticed movement of heavily-armed militants near the LoC yesterday and challenged them. The gunmen opened fire, resulting in critical injuries to Naib Subedar Gurdayal Singh, who later succumbed to injuries. Soldiers fired back towards the positions of gunmen, forcing them to flee back to other side,” Brar added.
 “The Indian Army has never violated the cease-fire,” he claimed.
General Abbas said Indian soldiers fired on three Pakistani paramilitary troops who were moving from one post to another in the Neelum Valley.
“They were engaged by fire from across the Line of Control,” General Abbas said. “Subsequently, they lost their way, and later on their bodies were recovered yesterday.”
For more than six years, the two countries have maintained a cease-fire along the Line of Control. Lt Colonel Brar insisted that the cease-fire had not been violated, but Major General Abbas said that it had.
“We strongly protest this unprovoked violation of the cease-fire,” he said. “Three soldiers lost their lives. This is serious business. We would like to know why it happened, and why our troops were fired upon.”

Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST