A soldier was killed as Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and villages along the Line of Control in Rajouri district on Monday, officials said.
“Pakistani troops also suffered casualties and heavy damageto their posts in retaliatory action by the Indian army,” Jammu-based PublicRelations Officer (PRO) of Army, Lt Col Devender Anand, said.
However, he said the details of the damage on the Pakistanside are yet to be ascertained.
A police official said the cross-border firing started around6.30 am and continued intermittently for several hours, causing panic among theborder residents who have been advised to take necessary precautionary measuresfor their safety.
Lt Col Anand said the Pakistani army resorted to unprovokedceasefire violation. “They resorted to mortar shelling and firing of small armsin the Sunderbani sector in the early hours, resulting in injuries to RiflemanMohammad Arif Shafi Alam Khan Pathan,” he said.
Pathan was later air evacuated to the Army Hospital, where hesuccumbed, he said.
The PRO said Pathan, from Nawayard village in Vadodaradistrict of Gujarat, is survived by his parents. “He was a brave, highlymotivated and a sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to himfor the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” he said.
Pertinently, this was the second instance of cross-borderfiring along the LoC in Jammu region during the past three days. (With PTIinputs)