LoC vigil beefed up: A K Antony
“On
Jan 8, a Pak Border Action Team ambushed our patrol party in Krishna Ghati,
Mendhar Sector in which Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh and Lance Naik Hemraj were
killed. Lance Naik Hemraj was found beheaded and both bodies were mutilated,”
Defence Minister A K Antony said. In a written reply, he said that the weapons
of the two soldiers were also taken by Pakistani Army. On whether Government
has taken up the issue with their Pakistani counterpart, Antony said a Brigade-level Flag Meeting of
both the sides was held on Jan 14. “The
issue was protested through the DGMO talks on Jan 9 and 16, Brigade
Commander-level Flag Meeting at Chakan Da Bagh on Jan 14 and hotline messages
at the local levels,” he said.
The
issue was also taken up with Pakistan
through diplomatic channels. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had summoned
Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir on Jan 9 and lodged a strong protest
on the Pakistani actions. “Heightened vigil is being maintained along the Line
of Control in J&K and surveillance, including human intelligence and
technical intelligence, has been further enhanced,” he said. To another
question, Antony said that 93 ceasefire
violations have been reported along the LoC by Pakistan in year 2012. Asked till
when India will continue
ceasefire and have trust in Pakistan ,
Antony said,
“Government takes all necessary measures to uphold the sanctity of LoC. All
confidence building measures are taken. The Army retaliates firmly and
appropriately to all such ceasefire violations.”
He
also informed the Upper House that, “There has been 14 ceasefire violations
since the Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting on 14 January. Pakistan fired small arms, medium
and heavy automatic weapons and 82 mm mortars during these ceasefire
violations.”
No comments:
Post a Comment