Another jawan killed in Pakistan firing

A day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat claimed that his force was ready to call Pakistan's nuclear bluff, Pakistan Army resorted to heavy firing on the Indian forward positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in which one soldier died in the Sunderbani sector of the Rajouri district in Jammu division.

"Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. However, in the exchange of fire, Lance Naik Yogesh Muralidhar Bhadane, was grievously injured and later succumbed," said Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Northern Command Headquarters, adding, "Lance Bhadane was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty."

Hailing from Khalane in Maharashtra, 28-year-old Bhadane is survived by his wife Punam Yogesh.

Bhadane is the seventh solider to have been killed by Pakistani forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border since December 23, 2017.

On December 23 last year, the Pakistan Army had resorted to unprovoked firing, leaving four Indian Army soldiers, including a Major from Maharashtra dead in the Keri battalion area of Rajouri sector of the LoC.

In retaliation, on December 25, Indian Army troops had crossed the LoC and killed three Pakistani army men in Rawalakote sector of Poonch. Later, on January 4, Border Security Force (BSF) unleashed a major fire assault and destroyed two strategically located mortar gun positions and inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistan Rangers in the precision-targeted fire along the International Border (IB) in the Samba sector.

Around 30 people including 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel were killed in these ceasefire violations this year.

In an unrelated incident, two persons were injured in the firing incident near Zainakote in Srinagar outskirts on Saturday.

Exchange volley

• Hailing from Khalane in Maharashtra, 28-year-old Bhadane is survived by his wife Punam Yogesh 
• Bhadane is the 7th solider to have been killed by Pakistani 
• forces on the Line of Control and International Border since December 23, 2017.