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Updated: Aug 18, 2019 01:38 IST

An army soldier was killed when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) by firing shells in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Saturday, prompting strong response from the Indian Army which inflicted casualties and heavy damage to Pakistan Army posts, a defence spokesman said.

“Indian Army responded strongly and effectively. Heavy damage to Pakistan Army posts and casualties to Pakistan soldiers have been inflicted by our troops,” defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The slain soldier has been identified as 35-year-old Lance Naik Sandeep Thapa, a resident of village Rajawala in Sahaspur district of Dehradun. He served in the Army for 15 years, Lt Col Anand said.

“He attained martyrdom today in Nowshera while defending the frontiers. He was a brave soldier and the nation will remain indebted to him for his dedication to duty and supreme sacrifice,” he said.

“Lance Naik Thapa, who is survived by his wife Nisha Thapa and a three-year-old son, was a brave, highly-motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty.”

Pakistani troops opened fire with small arms and mortars in the Nowshera sector at around 6:30 am and Indian soldiers retaliated, he added.

The ceasefire violation came two days after India’s retaliatory fire in the KG sector of Poonch district had left four Pakistani soldiers dead.

Since the Indian government effectively revoked Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir its special status, and carved out two union territories of Ladakh and J&K on August 5 and 6, Pakistani army troops have been regularly violating the ceasefire along the LoC and trying to push militants into J&K.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat has already warned Pakistan of a punitive response to any mischief on the borders.

Last month, two Army personnel and a 10-day-old baby were killed and several civilians injured in heavy Pakistani shelling and firing in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.

Minister warns Pakistan of a befitting reply

The Union minister of law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad asserted on Saturday that Pakistan will get a befitting reply if any act is committed by terrorists in the backdrop of the nullification of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking to media persons in Nagpur, Prasad said India was well prepared over the security of its own territory and if Pakistan carried out any terror activity, it would be given a prompt and appropriate response.

Reiterating that the nullification of Article 370 was taken in the best interest of the country and was beneficial for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “How can it be possible? Now the Centre was committed for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir and we are working for the people there,” he said.

(With agency inputs)