LoC gunbattle: Indian Army keep infiltrators at bay on day 13, Pak denies role
Tag: India, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Pakistan, LoC, Pak Army, Salman Bashir, Jammu and Kashmir, gunbattle, LoC incursions
Srinagar: The Indian Army is giving a tough fight to the infiltrators who are constantly firing at Indian posts in Keran Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. The soldiers were successful in keeping the infiltrators at bay for the 13th day on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir today slammed the reports of his Army's involvement in Keran incursions along LoC as baseless.
Speaking on the alleged involvement of Pakistan in Karen infiltrations, Salman Bashir said that the reports were “baseless”.
Seeking to defend Pakistan, Bashir said, “Militancy & terrorism had has affected us directly… instead of pointing finger at us, look at casualties we have suffered”.
Also, Salman Bashir reiterated that Nawaz Sharif did not use the term “village woman” for Indian PM Manmohan Singh as there was lots of respect for Manmohan Singh in Pakistan.
"There is no truth behind Pak PM's alleged 'dehati aurat' remark," he said.
Intermittent firing between the group of holed up infiltrating militants and the Army continued as security forces maintained a tight vigil over the cordoned off area, they said.
The Army launched a massive anti-infiltration operation in Shalbhatti village in Keran Sector on September 24 after noticing a group of 30 to 40 militants trying to sneak into the Valley.
The operation is going on in a vast area along the LoC and so far seven militants have been killed -- three in Gujjardoor village on Friday and four in Fateh Gali area of the sector yesterday.
Earlier, the Army had said 10-12 militants were believed to have been killed in Shalbhatti village but the bodies could not be retrieved as the operation against the remaining militants was in progress.
Five soldiers have been injured in gunbattle. The Army has termed as "absurd" the reports about capture of some posts by the infiltrators, saying the troops are in total control of the operation.
"We are in total control of the operation. The reports of our posts being captured by the infiltrators are absurd," General Officer Commanding of the Army's 15 Corps Lt General Gurmit Singh has said.
The Army had on Saturday foiled an infiltration bid in close vicinity to the ongoing Keran operation after a 2-hour gunbattle with the terrorists. Four terrorists had been killed in the incident and six AK 47 rifles, 4 pistols and other warlike ammunitions had been recovered from the terrorists. In another infiltration bid that was foiled in Gujjardur area near Shallabattu in Jammu, two infiltrators had been killed.
A ceasefire violation on international border in Hiranagar area of Samba sector had also taken place on Thursday where the Pakistan rangers targeted the Pahadpur post of BSF. The BSF fired in retaliation and foiled the infiltration bid. In Poonch too, the Pakistani troops had opened fire on the Indian posts on Thursday. Indian troops guarding the border had retaliated with the same calibre weaponry, which had resulted in a 20 minute gunbattle.
Meanwhile, the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said that the government cannot say anything till the Army completes its investigation into the matter.
"Till the Army completes its investigation and informs us about their findings, we cannot say anything. That could end up causing a problem to the Armed forces.
"The Armed forces are executing their duties effectively. Once they submit their report to us, we will inform you about it," Khurshid said.
With Agency inputs
First Published: Sunday, October 06, 2013, 18:17
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