Braveheart's family criticizes govt over inaction on Pak ceasefire violations

Hoshiarpur (Punjab): The family of Indian Army soldier Naik Bakhtawar Singh, who was killed in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Nowshera this week, criticized the government on Saturday over its "inaction" in ending ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

34-year-old Bakhtawar Singh, who hails from Punjab, died on Thursday.

"We are proud of our son who lost his life for our nation, but we are sad too. He has two small kids," said Bakhtawar's father.

"This has happened because of the laziness of the government. It is Pakistan who keeps violating the ceasefire and we just retaliate," he added.

He further requested the government to provide some means of earning to Bakhtawar's wife to support the family.

India and Pakistan traded mortar shells, heavy automatics and small arms fire in Nowshera sector on Thursday afternoon as later troops continued targeting forward Indian positions and civilian areas without any provocation at frequent intervals in border Rajouri and Poonch districts for the past many days.

The Pakistani troops have been using mortars, heavy automatics, recoilless guns, and small weapons in the recent attacks.

The tension along the Line of Control (LoC) has already made an over 3,000 people including women and children migrate from their houses near the border to safer places.