J&K: Visuals of an army officer, and three jawans who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Keri (… https://t.co/a64hr8NpnJ — ANI (@ANI) 1514043519000

3 martyred in firing by Pakistan along LoC

NEW DELHI: A major and three soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by Pakistan army at Keri in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday afternoon, even as the two countries continue to exchange heavy fire at different places along the Line of Control (LoC) on a daily basis.An “area domination patrol” of the 2 Sikh battalion deployed in the Keri area, under the 120 Infantry Brigade , was underway when it came under fire from Pakistan army posts at about 12.15pm.“Major Prafulla Ambadas (32), Lance-Naik Gurmail Singh (34) and Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) were killed in the unprovoked ceasefire violation, while two other soldiers were injured. One of them later succumbed to injuries in hospital. Our soldiers retaliated strongly and effectively on the Pakistan army posts. The martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain,” said an officer.India has recorded over 780 ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the 778-km LoC already this year, while the number has crossed 120 along the 198-km international border manned by BSF in J&K. Over 33 people, including 12 civilians, have been killed in these firings.This marks a new high in recent years. The ceasefire violations along the LoC in 2014 and 2015, for instance, stood at 153 and 152, while the tally was 228 last year. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat recently held that peace talks with Pakistan could take place only when it stops supporting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. But given its actions and behavior, it doesn't appear that Pakistan really wants peace, he added.The Indian director-general of military operations, Lt-Gen AK Bhatt, had also last month told his Pakistan counterpart, Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, that there appeared to be a “disconnect” between his Army headquarters at Rawalpindi, which professes a desire for peace, and its troops on the ground along the LOC, who resort to heavy firing and ceasefire violations without any provocation.While maintaining that the Indian Army will continue its efforts to ensure peace and tranquility on the borders, Lt-Gen Bhatt said it will “continue to take all retaliatory measures and retain the right to punitively respond to any provocative acts of aggression from the Pakistani side”.The Indian Army has over the last few months repeatedly told the Pakistan army to desist from actively abetting cross-border terrorism and infiltration, warning that all misadventures to either target Indian troops or provide covering fire to infiltrating terrorists would be met with retaliatory punitive fire assaults.India has stressed that the main reason for any collateral damage in the cross-border firings is due to Pakistan army’s “unacceptable” support to cross-border terrorism and infiltration as well as its strategy to deploy civilians at its forward posts to gain intelligence and act as guides to the terrorists crossing the LoC.