Jammu, Jan 13: An Army soldier was injured Sunday in firing by Pakistani troops from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, officials said.
The soldier, manning a forward post, was hit by a bullet “apparently from a Pakistani sniper” in Keri sector and was hospitalised, they said, adding the Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire between the two sides continued for some time.
There has been a spurt in skirmishes between the two sides along the LoC in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch since the beginning of this year, resulting in the killing of two army personnel and injuries to several others on this side. Casualties have been reported from other side as well.
The army major and a soldier were killed when an improvised explosive device went off in Naushera sector of Rajouri on Friday, the day when a porter was also killed in firing in nearby Sunderbani sector.
Officials say the year 2018 recorded 2,936 “ceasefire violations by Pakistan” – the highest in the past 15 years with an average of eight cases daily – in which 61 people were killed and over 250 injured.
Meanwhile, a wreath-laying ceremony was held Sunday to pay tributes to an Army soldier killed along with an officer in an IED blast along the LoC in Rajouri district.
The ceremony was held at northern command headquarters at Udhampur.
Rifleman Jiwan Gurung, 24, along with Major Shahi Dharan V Nair, 33, was killed on Friday in an IED explosion in Naushera sector of Rajouri district.
After the wreath-laying ceremony, Gurung’s mortal remains were Sunday transported from Udhampur to Delhi by a service aircraft, a defence spokesman said.
The body will be taken to Bagdogra in West Bengal from Delhi through a civil flight and then by road to his home town Darjeeling, the spokesman said.
