Army trooper killed in Pakistan firing along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri

An Army personnel was killed on Friday in Pakistani Army firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir amid tension between Islamabad and New Delhi over abrogation of Article 370. “The soldier was manning a forward post in Kalsia village of Nowshera sector which came under unprovoked firing from across the border in the early hours,” the officials said.

The soldier was immediately evacuated to a military hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Indian troops retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns but the casualties on the Pakistani side were not known immediately, the officials said.

Earlier, a soldier was killed and four others were injured after Pakistan Army targeted forward posts and villages along the LoC in Poonch district with mortars and firing from small arms. The firing from across the border in Krishna Ghati sector started around 1100 hours, drawing response from the Indian Army, Army spokesman had said.

Pakistani forces have scaled up ceasefire violations enhancing mortar shelling and heavy firing. The last big ceasefire violation was on July 30 when an infiltration bid was foiled in which four terrorists were killed.

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.