Srinagar, Dec 23: Four army personnel including a major were killed in Jammu and Kashmir‘s Keri Batallion area in Rajouri district along the Line of Control (LoC). The firing started on Saturday evening. According to a report, Pakistan Army resorted to indiscriminate firing on the Indian posts without any provocations, violating the ceasefire agreement. Also Read - DNA Samples of 3 Men Killed in Shopian Encounter Match With Families From Rajouri: J&K Police

Defence spokesperson colonel NN Joshi described the firing as a ceasefire violation by Pakistan. The deceased personnel are identified as–Major Prafulla, Sepoy Pargarh and Sepoy Gurmeet Singh of 2 Sikh battalion. Also Read - Jammu and Kashmir: Advocate Shot Dead at His Srinagar Residence by Militants, Probe on

Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh were grievously injured during the cease fire violation and succumbed to their injuries. Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are under medical treatment. Also Read - 'Kashmiris Don't Feel They Are Indians & Would Rather Prefer to Be Ruled by China', Says Farooq Abdullah

#ArmyCdrNC and all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of our brave officer and soldiers & offer deepest condolences to the families @adgpi @PIB_India @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/k3wggXKcN6 — NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) December 23, 2017

Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas aged 32 years, belonged to District Bhandara, Maharashtra and is survived by his wife Smt Avoli Moharkar. Lance Naik Gurmail Singh aged 34 years, belonged to District Amritsar, Punjab and is survived by his wife Smt kuljit Kaur and a daughter. Sepoy Pargat Singh aged 30 years, belonged to District Karnal, Haryana and is survived by his wife Smt Ramanpreet Kaur and a son.

On October 31, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by firing from small arms along the LoC in Karmara belt of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, resulting in injuries to a girl. [Also read: 190 Terrorists Killed in 2017 in J&K, Over 2850 Were Eliminated in 2001]

There was another incident on October 26, when Pakistani troops fired at Sher Shakti and Mandhar areas of Kerni sector. No casualty was reported in the firing. On October 18, eight civilians, including a two-year-old child, were injured in heavy Pakistani shelling.

Pakistan has violated the ceasefire a total of 881 times along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir this year resulting in the killing of 30 people.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations in which 13 civilians and 13 security personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

(With inputs from agencies)