New Delhi:
The Pakistani troops on Saturday violated ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir’s Keri (120 Infantry Brigade) Battalion area along the Line of Control. One Army Major and three soldiers were martyred while one injured in the ceasefire violation, ANI reported.
The injured jawan has been airlifted to hospital for medical treatment. A defence spokesman said Pakistani troops targeted the Army patrol at Brat Galla in Keri sector at around 1215 hours.
“We suffered three fatal casualties including one officer in the incident. Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh were grievously injured during the ceasefire violation and succumbed to their injuries. Two other personnel also sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment,†the spokesman said.
The Army, in a statement, said that Indian troops retaliated “strongly and effectively†to the “unprovoked†firing.Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh paid rich tributes to the slain soldiers and condemned Pakistan for the ceasefire violation.
“Pakistan is indulging in such cowardly actions and is being given a befitting response, but it does not desist from such cowardly acts,†Singh said.
Major Ambadas (32) belonged to Bhandara district in Maharashtra and is survived by wife Avoli Moharkar, while Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34) belonged to Amritsar district in Punjab and is survived by wife kuljit Kaur and a daughter.
J&K: Visuals of an army officer, and three jawans who lost their lives in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Keri (120 Infantry Brigade) Batallion Area pic.twitter.com/U8Kc06fuYM
— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017
Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) belonged to Karnal district in Haryana and is survived by wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son, the Army said.
The ceasefire violation comes two days after Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa remark that he supports peace talks with India. Qamar had said that issues with India could be solved through talks instead of war.
However, Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat in response to Bajwa's statement said peace talks with Pakistan could only take place when it stops supporting terrorists in the valley.
#FLASH Three jawans killed, including an officer, and one injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Keri (120 Infantry Brigade) Batallion Area, J&K pic.twitter.com/C3TVcXWjTM
— ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017
(With PTI Inputs)
