One more soldier killed as India, Pak trade fire

Death toll in the border flare-up has mounted to 12 in four days after another soldier and a civilian were killed on Saturday, even as Pakistan army resumed crossborder shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district.

Signalman Chandan Kumar Rai, who was manning the forward post on the LoC in  Mendhar sector of Poonch district, suffered grievous wounds during Saturday afternoon’s firing. He was immediately shifted to the military hospital where he breathed his last.

Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Northern Command Headquarters, said Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms and automatics, other than mortar shelling in Mendhar sector. Their aggression was met with strong retaliation, he said. “In the exchange of fire, however, Signalman Chandan Kumar Rai was grievously injured. He succumbed to his injuries at the Military Hospital,” he said.

Hailing from Village Nadesar in Chandelier district of Uttar Pradesh, Chandan Kumar Rain, 25, is survived by his father  Satya Prakash Rai.

The civilian was killed after Pakistan Rangers shelled civilian areas in Kanachak sector of international border of Jammu division.

DCP Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Rajouri, said heaving shelling has started in different areas along the LoC.  

Sepoy Rai is the fourth soldier to have been killed in the last 48 hours in hostile firing. Border Security Force (BSF) Head Constable Jagpal Singh of 173th battalion and a Lance Naik Sam Abraham of the army were killed were killed on the onternational border and LoC respectively in cross border firing on Friday. Sepoy Mandeep Singh was killed on Saturday on LoC.

A BSF spokesman said the border was almost calm except the firing of shells in Arnia sector.

50 HURT IN 4 DAYS

Death toll in the ceasefire violations on LoC and International border has climbed to 12 since Wednesday night, and more than 50 people have suffered injuries and thousands have fled their homes to escape firing.