Four members of security forces personnel, including a BSF deputy inspector, were killed on Friday in multiple ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) from the Gurez sector to the Uri sector in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities said. Three civilians, two in Kamalkote in Uri and another woman in Balkote, were also killed in Pakistani gunfire. Several others were injured in the Pakistani assault, officials said.
Among the four security personnel, three army soldiers were killed in the Pakistani gunfire in Uri, and the BSF deputy inspector was also killed in the Haji Peer sector, officials said. SI Rakesh Doval (39), deployed in the force artillery battery at the LoC in Baramulla, suffered severe head injuries to which he later succumbed.
In addition to various locations in Uri, ceasefire violations were reported from Izmarg in the Gurez sector of the Bandipora district and the Keran sector of the Kupwara district.
A defense spokesman said that these ceasefire violations were part of an infiltration attempt, which the Army succeeded in thwarting.
“Our troops observed suspicious movements at outposts along the LoC in the Keran sector (in the Kupwara district of northern Kashmir) today. The alleged infiltration offer was thwarted by the warning troops, ”said Srinagar-based defense spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia. “They fired mortars and other weapons. An adequate response is being given, ”he said.
They said that apart from several places in Uri, the ceasefire violations were reported from Izmarg in the Gurez sector of the Bandipora district and the Keran sector of the Kupwara district.
Rakesh Doval, a resident of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, joined the border force in 2004. He is survived by his father, wife and nine-year-old daughter.
This was the second infiltration attempt in a week. The previous failed bid in the Machil sector during the night of November 7-8 was thwarted in which three militants were killed.
(With PTI inputs)
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