Shiv Sena (left) MP Sanjay Raut called for a show of force against Pakistan. (File Photo) Shiv Sena (left) MP Sanjay Raut called for a show of force against Pakistan. (File Photo)

Criticising the government over the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called for a show of force against India’s western neighbour after four Indian soldiers were killed in mortar shelling in Bhimber Gali sector on Sunday.

“Pakistan has used missiles in attacking our jawans yesterday, Are our missiles just for exhibiting and gathering applause at the Rajpath? Are they just for showing to the foreign heads on January 26?” Raut told news agency ANI.

Shelling from across the border began in Shahpur area of Poonch district around 11.15 am before spreading to Balakote sector in Mendhar and Manjakote in Rajouri district by 3.30 pm.

An Army spokesperson said the Indian troops were retaliating strongly and effectively, “inflicting heavy damage on Pakistani posts”.

“The martyrdom of Indian Army soldiers will not go in vain, and the Pakistani Army will be given a befitting response,” the spokesperson said.

In 2017, there were 860 ceasefire violations along the LoC, including 147 in December. There were 271 ceasefire violations in 2016, a climbdown from 387 violations in 2015.

Army sourced told The Indian Express that Pakistani troops used weapons of a higher calibre, which means either anti-tank missiles or artillery guns.

The dead officer and jawans of 15 JAKLI Battalion of 25 Infantry Division have been identified as Captain Kapil Kundu, 23, of Ransika village in Pataudi tehsil of Haryana, Havildar Roshan Lal, 43, of Samba district in J&K, Rifleman Ram Avtar, 28, of Baraka village in Gwalior, and Rifleman Shubam Singh, 23, of Kathua district in J&K.

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