After LoC breach, India, Pak talk peace

SRINAGAR: After exchanging heavy fire for over 16 hours in Nowgam sector of the line of control (LoC), field commanders of the Indian and Pakistani armies held a flag meeting in Teetwal sector on Tuesday to defuse tension and uphold the five-year-old border truce.

A jawan was killed when a group of 10 to 15 Pakistani soldiers carrying a white flag crossed the LoC and on being challenged, fired indiscriminately at the Indian army patrol at Eagle Post in Nowgam around 3.30 pm on Monday afternoon. Sepoy D Mahesh of 22 Rajput Regiment fell into a gorge and died after being hit by the Pakistani soldiers’ bullets.

Some Pakistani regulars are also reported to have died. Army sources said the Pakistani army troopers were objecting to some construction at the Indian post, which led to the exchange.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Anil K Mathur said the situation on the LoC was discussed at the meeting. “The outcome of the meeting has been conveyed to the defence minister,” he said.

Sources said the Indian army lodged a strong protest against the incursion by Pakistani soldiers. “Their troops physically moved into our side. We told them this was not acceptable because sanctity of the LoC has to be maintained,” an army officer said.
Inspector general of police (operations), North Kashmir, B Srinivas said there was no further exchange of fire and the LoC was peaceful since morning.

Meanwhile, the army has retrieved the body of sepoy D Mahesh of Haryana.
Since January, there have been 19 border ceasefire violations by Pakistan, mostly in Mendhar and Poonch. The ceasefire had come into force on November 26, 2003, after then Pakistan premier Zafarullah Khan Jamali announced unilateral truce on borders as a goodwill gesture. New Delhi responded positively.

Since then, all the three frontiers – the 780-km LoC, 200-km international border and the 150-km actual ground position line at Siachen – have been relatively calm.
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