Two Indian Army jawans killed in Pak shelling; Indian troops kill infiltrating militant in J&K

Srinagar/Jammu: Two Indian Army jawans were killed and another was injured as Pakistani troops pounded several places, including civilian areas, in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday, officials said.

Terrorists also made a bid to infiltrate into Kashmir from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) via the Gurez sector which was foiled by the Indian troops who killed one of the infiltrators, the officials said.

The Pakistani troops targeted several areas of Rajouri, Poonch and Kupwara districts of J&K along the LoC, they said, adding the Indian troops retaliated.

The Pakistani shelling put lives of hundreds of school students at risk in Rajouri district.

The authorities rescued 217 students who were trapped in three schools in Kadali and Seha areas of Rajouri near the LoC till, according to Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

An Army Sepoy Jaspreet Singh was killed in the Pakistani shelling in Naushera sector in Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said.

The 24-year-old jawan hailed from Talwandi in Moga district of Punjab and leaves behind his parents, he added.

"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Naushera sector in Rajouri at around 1350 hours today. Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," the defence spokesman said.

In the exchange of fire, Sepoy Jaspreet Singh was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, he said.

"The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he said.

Earlier day, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 0645 hours in Bhimbher Gali (Rajouri) and Poonch sectors along the LoC, the spokesman said.

According to reports, one jawan suffered minor splinter injuries in the exchange of the fire in the Bhimbher Gali sector.

The Pakistani firing killed another Army jawan in the Nowgam sector of Kashmir valley, an army official said.

The Pakistani Army also targeted civilian areas and Indian army posts along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali and Balakote sectors of Rajouri district as well as the Poonch sector triggering fear among residents.

According to the defence spokesman, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked firing from 0645 hours in Bhimbher Gali (Rajouri) and Poonch sectors.

As per reports one jawan suffered minor splinter injuries in the exchange of the fire in the Bhimber Gali sector.

Amidst the Pakistani shelling, the authorities rescued students from various government schools along the LoC in Rajouri district.

The students were ferried in bullet-proof vehicles, Choudhary said.

Yesterday also, the Pakistan Army had resorted to firing on Indian Army posts in Rajouri, Poonch and Baramulla districts, officials said.

In the exchange of fire, Naik Muddasar Ahmed was killed when mortar shells landed on his bunker. Ahmed, who hailed from Duchoo village, is survived by his wife Shaheena Muddasar and two children.

Pakistan had shelled mortars on civilian areas yesterday also in which nine-year-old Sajada Kouser was killed at Baroti, officials said adding that two other civilians and a jawan were also injured in Rajouri.

There were over a dozen of ceasefire violation by Pak army along LoC in J&K in which seven people including four jawans were killed and 12 injured in the month of July this year.