Army jawan, two civilians killed; four others injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan

A 23-year-old Sepoy Mandeep Singh and a civilian were killed, and four others were injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan on Saturday.

Singh was killed in Krishna Ghati sector along LoC while a civilian lost his life in RS Pura sector. 

Mandeep Singh belonged to Village Alampur, Punjab's District Sangroor, and is survived by his father Shri Gurnaam Singh.

Pakistan violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day on Saturday in three districts of Jammu and Kashmir along the International Border.

The officials said two civilians, Gaura Ram (17) of Kapur R S Pura and Gour Singh (45) of Abdullian, were killed and five others injured in firing by Pakistani rangers along the IB in Jammu district.

Pakistan Rangers targeted villages along the IB from Chenab river (Akhnoor) to RS Pura throughout the night.

The Indian Army is retaliating and cross-border firing is still on as per latest reports.

Between 8,000 to 9,000 people living along the IB migrated to safer places and most of them were living with their relatives, the official said.

On Friday, two security forces jawans and as many civilians were killed and 35 others injured in mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops on civilian areas.

The Congress has attacked the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, citing data that ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased 500% in the past 44 months and raising concern about the nation's security scenario.

"National security is being endangered by the political actions of the Modi government. National security strategy cannot be centered on PM's personal propaganda machinery; instead it should be centered around our Armed Forces and national interests," a statement from the Congress party on Friday said.

Recent Ceasefire violations by Pakistan

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.

On January 3, Pakistan provoked India again when its snipers shot dead a Border Security Force (BSF) head constable along the International Border (IB) in the Samba sector of Jammu division.

On December 31 last year, Pakistan army killed Sepoy Jagsir Singh  along  the LoC in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu division. 

On December 25 last year, the Indian Army troops — in a tit-for-tat action — crossed LoC and killed three Pakistani army men in Rawalakote sector of Poonch. The action had come two days after Pakistan army 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 on December 23.

Eight soldiers were killed by Pakistani forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border since December 23, 2017. 

There were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations in which 13 civilians and 13 security personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured in 2016.