Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 24

A soldier was killed in shelling at Poonch district’s Shahpur sector on Sunday—taking the death toll in this week’s cross-border skirmishes with Pakistan to three.

The 20-year old grenadier Hari Bhakar, originally from Rajasthan’s Nagaur district, was wounded in cross-border shelling that began on Saturday evening. He was immediately evacuated to the nearest field hospital but died of his wounds in the small hours of Sunday. His remains were taken to the headquarters of the Northern Command wreath laying ceremony, and were flown home to Rajasthan later in the day.

Pakistan Army began using heavy artillery and rockets to shell Kerni and Shahpur sectors on Saturday evening, the spokesperson said. Indian Army retaliated “strongly” and even inflicted casualties on Pakistan’s side, the defence official said, adding that figures are not known.

Border skirmishes witnessed a spurt after India's air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Four civilians, including three members of a family, have been killed and several injured as Pakistan has targeted dozens of villages in over 125 incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC since.

The year 2018 witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations —2,936—by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border.

Pakistan continues to violate the 2003 ceasefire agreement with India despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the pact during flag meetings between the two sides.

On Thursday, 24-year-old rifleman Yash Paul lost his life in unprovoked firing by Pakistan Army along the LoC in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district.

Rifleman Karamjeet Singh from Punjab’s Moga was killed in cross-border firing on Monday.