Army Jawan, Pakistani Intruder Killed in Fierce LoC Gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir

SRINAGAR: The Indian Army early on Saturday engaged in a heavy clash with a group of Pakistani intruders, believed to be from Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT), along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir Valley’s Kupwara district. Officials reported that one intruder was killed and two others fled back to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) amid intense gunfire.

Five Indian soldiers, including a Captain, were injured in the attack on a forward military post in Kupwara’s Machael sector. Rifleman Mohit Rathour later succumbed to his injuries at the 92-Base Hospital in Srinagar’s Badami Bagh Cantonment.

The Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps confirmed only injuries to two soldiers, one of whom died in the hospital. They lauded the bravery and sacrifice of the fallen soldier and extended condolences to his family.

The incident took place just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Pakistan that its "evil designs" would be defeated while speaking at a commemorative ceremony for the 1999 Kargil war at Dras.

The Chinar Corps reported that Pakistani intruders took advantage of bad weather to cross the LoC and attack an Indian Army post. The alert troops responded vigorously, resulting in one intruder's death and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.

The Army further stated, "In the past too, similar attempts by infiltrators, actively aided and abetted by Pakistani Army have exploited thick foliage and poor visibility conditions but have always, as today, been successfully thwarted and disrupted. Indian Army is firm in its resolve and commitment to maintain the sanctity of the LoC and defeat the nefarious and inimical designs of the Pakistan Army".

Initial reports had said that a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army and four other soldiers were injured, two of them critically, in a gunfight with infiltrating militants in the Macheal sector. The reports quoting the Army sources in Kupwara had said that the intrusion by the armed men has been foiled but the exchange of fire is still on.

These reports also said that a resident of PoJK was caught in the crossfire and killed instantly. According to these reports, a group of three intruders hurled a grenade and then fired their automatic rifles on a forward post of the Indian Army early Saturday to which the latter retaliated, triggering the gunfight.