Pakistani troops fire rockets at six Indian posts (Night Lead)

JAMMU - Pakistani troops fired rockets and mortar shells at six Indian posts in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district Wednesday, leading to an exchange of fire at the Line of Control (LoC) that lasted more than five hours.

The LoC reverberated with explosions of rockets and mortar shells and the rattle of gunfire for over five-and-half hours as the firing started around 3.30 p.m. at Indian posts in Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch, 210 km north of Jammu.

“Pakistani troops opened heavy machine gun fire and fired rockets and mortar shells at the Indian posts of Kranti and Kirpan and four other posts along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector,” a senior army officer told IANS by telephone.

Indian troops retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that continued for hours. There were no reports of any casualties, he said.

Indian troops were later scanning the jungles as they suspect that the firing was designed to facilitate infiltration of militants from across the LoC, defence sources said.

This is the second time since Sunday that the Pakistan Army has violated the ceasefire and targeted Indian posts, which the army believes is a “diversionary tactic” to “facilitate infiltration” from across the LoC.

One Indian soldier was killed in Pakistani firing Sunday evening.

According to the army, there are about 450 terrorists waiting across the LoC to sneak into the Indian side.

Brigadier Satish K. Dua told IANS that the Indian troops were maintaining “high degree of vigil along the LoC”.

He said that Pakistan had violated the ceasefire Wednesday despite the Indian protest Monday to its earlier such action Sunday.