SRINAGAR: India on Wednesday branded as “highly provocative” Pakistan’s action in Kashmir, where two soldiers were killed in an attack the previous day, and said the mutilation of one of the soldier’s bodies was “inhuman”.
Pakistan has denied the allegations.
Indian Army on Tuesday accused Pakistan of triggering a gunfight by sending troops across the heavily militarized Line of Control (LoC) dividing the disputed region.
“The way they treated the dead body of the Indian soldiers is inhuman. We will convey our protest to the Pakistan government,” the minister, A.K. Antony, told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The body of one of the soldiers was found “badly mutilated” in a forested area of the Himalayan territory on this side of Kashmir, military officials said.
But the Pakistan army said they did not carry out any cross-LoC attack.
“Pakistan military officials deny Indian allegation of unprovoked firing,” Reuters quoted a spokesman of Pakistani Army as having said in a text message.
Unusual breach
The allegation follows another disputed incident on Sunday, when Pakistan said Indian army crossed the LoC, attacked their base and killed a soldier.
India said they had not launched the attack but fired in response to earlier bombardment by Pakistani troops.
But Islamabad lodged a strong protest with the Indian High Commission on Monday.
The incidents are an unusual breach of an almost decade-long ceasefire that has largely held between the two countries, both of which claim Kashmir in full and whose leaders have been focusing on improving bilateral ties.
There have been minor ceasefire violations, but many will be keenly watching if these attacks would affect improving ties.
