Army jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in J&K’s Rajouri

An Army jawan was killed as Pakistan on Saturday violated ceasefire by resorting to mortar shelling and small arms firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera Sector of Rajouri district.

“Lance Naik Sandeep Thapa has lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Nowshera Sector, Rajouri; firing underway,” reported ANI. 

35-year-old Sandeep Thapa is a resident of Dehradun and has been in the Army for past 15 years.

The firing from across the border started in Nowshera sector at around 6.30 am, prompting strong and effective retaliation by Indian Army guarding the border, the official said.

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistani troops targeted forward posts with mortar shells and small arms along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

The cross-border firing started around 7 am in Krishnaghati sector of the district and continued for several hours, prompting strong response from the Indian side, a defence official said.

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.