An Indian soldier, reportedly identified as Manjeet Singh of the 17th Sikh Regiment, was killed in an encounter with terrorists in the Machil sector along the Line of Control on Friday night.
The soldier’s body was mutilated, and his head was reportedly carried back across the LoC by the terrorists as they fled back into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), under supporting fire cover by Pakistani troops. One attacker was also neutralised by the Indian Army in the incident.
Reports also add the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Chief of Army Staff, Dalbir Singh, have been briefed over the beheading of the soldier.
An Army spokesperson said the incident reflected the barbarism pervading in official and unofficial organisations in Pakistan. Commenting on the incident, former Lt Gen Raj Kadyan speculated the possibility of the attack being carried out by the Pakistan Army.
Indian Army Releases Statement
The Indian Army soon released an official statement where it said:
...one soldier has been martyred and one terrorist has been killed. In a despicable act, the terrorist mutilated the body of the Indian Army Soldier before fleeing into PoK.
The entire statement of the Army reads as follows:
In another incident, one terrorist was killed in an encounter close to the LoC in the Kupwara district.
Another Soldier Loses Life
One soldier lost his life on Friday during ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Machil sector of Kupwara district. Another soldier – constable Nitin Subhash of BSF – succumbed after he was wounded in the Machil sector during retaliatory firing.
Pakistan has been violating ceasefire in several areas along the LoC.
One BSF officer who was injured in heavy firing by Pakistani troops succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. Six civilians were also injured in the firing.
15 Pakistan Rangers Killed by BSF
Earlier in the day, the Border Security Force said that it had killed 15 Pakistani paramilitary personnel while retaliating to cross-border shelling and firing in which two Indian civilians were killed and two injured in Jammu region.
Firing mortar shells and using automatic weapons, Pakistani troops targeted civilian areas and forward security posts along the International Border and Line of Control in Jammu, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
BSF said that as per the ammunition used in firing and shelling, it appeared that Pakistani Army is supporting its paramilitary Rangers along the IB.
(With inputs from media sources.)
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