SRINAGAR: The army says it has foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, the second such incident in more than two days and also since top military commanders of both the countries agreed to defuse alarming tensions.
The incident happened in Rajouri district. “Army troops during midnight observed a suspicious movement of about 4 to 5 people in Hamirpur area of Balakote sector in Bhimber Gali Brigade of Rajouri district,” S N Acharya, Jammu-based public relation officer, ministry of defence said.
He said the area was immediately cordoned off on seeing the movement of suspects adding, “the group was challenged by army but the suspects went into hiding in the bushes and indiscriminately fired on search party.”
Acharya said intermittent firing with long gaps continued for hours and the exchange of fire stopped this morning at around 6 am.
The intruders probably retreated taking an advantage of the darkness and thick vegetation, he said and added that search operation was launched in the area to rule out presence of suspects.
On Thursday a Pakistani soldier was killed after the Indian army opened fire when it detected “suspicious movement” in Laam sector in Rajouri, it said. Pakistan said the soldier had lost his way and crossed the LoC. His body has been returned.
But significantly on the same day “Pakistani troopers resorted to small and medium weapon firing in Balnoi forward area along the LoC at 20.05 PM,” PRO Defence S N Acharya said in a statement.
The Pakistan military told the Press Trust of India (PTI) in Islamabad that Indian troops had resorted to “unprovoked firing” in the Tatta Pani-Handrot sector of the LoC.
Last month DGMO’s of India and Pakistan agreed to defuse growing friction over a series of border clashes, the worst since the two countries declared truce a decade ago.
India had summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi over accusations of Pakistani troops crossing the LoC and killing two soldiers, beheading one of them.
Pakistan denied the charges saying India was trying to “divert attention” from a previous incident when Indian soldiers allegedly crossed the LoC and killed a soldier and wounded another.
Amid calls for a magnified response from many quarters in India, the peace process between the two nuclear-armed rivals suffered a setback as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said things “could never be like before”.
Trade and travel across the LoC in Kashmir was also stalled as, Indian authorities said, Pakistan refused to open gates at Chakan-da-Bagh point in Poonch sector. Both of these resumed only recently.
The fresh clashes come as there is widespread anger in Kashmir, where a curfew is imposed after Afzal Guru, convicted for attack on the Indian parliament, was hanged at Delhi’s Tihar jail on Saturday.
