Pakistan attack: PM keeping close watch on situation

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is keeping a close watch on the situation following the brutal killing of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops and has been briefed by the Defence Minister and the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the issue.

NSA Shivshankar Menon is briefing and keeping him abreast of all the developments. Defence Minister A K Antony and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid have spoken to him along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari on the issue, sources said today.

Antony met the Prime Minister today to brief him on the latest situation and the steps taken by the Ministry to deal with it, they said.

In a "provocative" attack yesterday, Pakistani regular soldiers had crossed into Indian territory in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir and ambushed an Indian patrol killing two soldiers, one of whom was decapitated.

The brutal nature of the attack was a chilling reminder of the ghastly attack on Capt Saurabh Kalia and his team by Pakistani troops in Kaksar sector of Kargil during the 1999 conflict.

The attack took place along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district when Pakistanis came about 100 metres into Indian territory and assaulted the patrol party.

Besides killing two, they also injured two other soldiers and took away their weapons and other belongings.