In a barbaric act, two security personnel were killed and their bodies mutilated by the Border Action Team (BAT) of the Pakistan Army, after they violated the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) and crossed into Indian territory at Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district in Jammu on Monday.
The Pakistan Army's provocation comes a day after its chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, visited the LoC in Hajipeer and vowed to support the Kashmiris in their struggle against New Delhi.
The incident occurred early Monday morning when a joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and Army personnel were patrolling from post to another at Krishna Ghati. The Pakistan Army carried out unprovoked rocket and mortar firing on two forward posts, killing two soldiers, including a BSF head constable and Junior Commissioned Officer of the Indian army, besides injuring another. After the attack, the BAT of the Pakistan Army breached the LoC and badly mutilated the bodies of the slain soldiers before crossing back, said a defence spokesperson of the Indian Army's Northern Command Headquarters.
"It was a pre-planed operation by Pakistan army. They had pushed in the Border Action Team over 250 metres deep inside Indian territory and set up the ambush for a long period to carry out the attack," a senior officer said in Jammu.
"Their target was a patrol party of 7-8 members, which had come out of a post," the officer said, adding that as the posts were engaged, the patrol team members ran for cover.
The beheading of two Indian soldiers on Monday is the third in last six months according to sources. Similar incidents took place in October and November last year.
The slain soldiers have been identified as head constable Prem Sagar of the BSF and Naib Subaidar Paramjit Singh of the Army.
The Army has vowed to avenge the death of the soldiers. BAT, a mix of Pakistani special forces and jihadis, is used as the force multiplier by Pakistan Army on the LoC.
The spokesperson posted a statement regarding the incident, warning of appropriate response for the "despicable act."
Dharmendra Pareek, Deputy Inspector General of BSF, Jammu Frontier said another BSF constable was injured in the incident. "A patrol party was attacked at 8.30 am on Monday. Other members of the patrol must have retaliated," said Pareek.
This is not the first time that the Pakistan Army has violated the sanctity of the LoC and mutilated the bodies of Indian soldiers. On November 22, 2016, Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) mutilated the body of an Indian Army personnel, and killed two others when they ambushed a counter-infiltration patrol on the LoC at Machil sector of Kupwara district
On October 28, 2016, the body of rifleman Mandeep Singh of the Army's Sikh Regiment was mutilated close to the LoC in Machil sector. One militant was killed, and another who was possibly involved in the incident, fled to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The BAT ambush at Krishna Ghati comes four years after Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) breached the LoC in Mendhar sector and beheaded Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh of 13 Rajputana Rifles.
The head of Lance Hemraj is still missing, and Army sources said Pakistani soldiers had carried it back with them after committing the heinous crime on January 8, 2013.
(With inputs from PTI)
India retaliates, targets pak posts
The Indian Army retaliated to the Pak army’s infiltration. There were reports of casualties on the other side of the border. However, there was no clarity on the number. Reports suggest certain Pak posts across the LoC were targeted.
ANALYSIS:
- Pakistan knows well the effect news of this mutilation will have on India, its army and its people. Hence, it is a deliberate act of provocation.
- The Pak army, already irked at Nawaz Sharif for having sacked his advisor Tariq Fatemi, might just be forcing Sharif’s hands.
- Indian diplomacy will take the high moral ground and show Pakistan for what it is, but the army must pay back in the language Islamabad knows best.
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