Indian Soldiers Given Freedom to Retaliate to Pak Shelling on LoC

Indian army personnel posted along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: PTI)

Sources in the Indian Army have claimed that 20 Pakistani Army personnel have been killed so far this year, while the number was 138 in 2017, The Times of India reported.

“The army, with all its commanding officers along the Line of Control (LoC) being given adequate freedom of action, is hammering and bleeding the Pak army to deny it any tactical advantage or moral ascendancy along the border,” the Times of India quoted a source as saying.

The increased pressure has led the Pakistani forces to sound a total of 35 ‘red-alerts’ along the LoC.  

With arms like light field guns, mortars and anti-tank guided missiles being used from both sides, many Pakistani Army posts have been destroyed in the firings in areas like Balnoi, Mendhar, Kalal, Keran, Doda, Sarla, Laleali and Banwat along the LoC over the last four or five months.

The terror attack on the Sunjwan army camp that left six troops and one civilian dead has escalated the ongoing tensions between the two countries. India has lost 16 soldiers apart from BSF personnel and civilians in about 280 ceasefire-violations and terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir this year.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat and Northern Command chief Lt General Devraj Anbu told TOI that the Pakistani Army "is suffering three to four times more casualties" in the recent cross-border firings.

If 32 Indian soldiers have died in ceasefire violations and infiltrations, an estimated 130-140 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the same time period, the report added.

Full Freedom to Commanders to Retaliate Pak Along LoC

Full freedom has been given to locals commanders of the army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir to effectively retaliate any act of violence by Pakistani troops, army sources told TOI.

The Indian Army has been inflicting heavy casualties to Pakistani troops while replying to Pakistani shelling along the LoC in the last few weeks.

The local commanders have now been given full freedom to retaliate to any Pakistani misadventure, army sources said, adding that the army is resorting to coordinated fire assaults in reply to any Pakistani shelling.

Following the attack on the Sunjuwan military station in Jammu, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman warning Pakistan. She said the neighbouring country "will pay for its misadventure."

Six army personnel and a civilian were killed in the terrorist attack on the Sunjuwan military camp. The attack on the camp came days after four army men were killed in Pakistani firing in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

On his return from a three-day trip to Nepal, army chief Gen Bipin Rawat was given a detailed briefing about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to PTI, sources said senior commanders of Pakistan Army have been frequently visiting Pakistani posts in the last few weeks in the wake of aggressive response by India to Pakistani actions.

They said Pakistan has increased the alert levels at all its posts along the LoC due to Indian actions.

"We are inflicting heavy pain on Pakistani side," said an army official told PTI.

(With inputs from The Times of India and PTI)