Pakistani troops planted landmines on Indian soil, says Army, releases pictures as proof

The mines shown in the photographs released by the Indian Army have markings that say they were made in ordnance factories in Pakistan. The mines were reportedly recovered very close to Indian posts.

When the pictures were shown to the Pakistan side during the flag meeting, it refused to accept them and returned the file to Indian officials, sources in the Defence Ministry say.

At the meeting, India lodged a strong protest against the repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and also expressed concern at the barbaric way Pakistani troops treated the bodies of the two Indian soldiers who were killed last week. But the Pakistani side, the Army said, denied all charges and was "adamant and arrogant" in its attitude. New Delhi has expressed unhappiness over the outcome of the meeting.

Pakistan has continued to fire at Indian posts even after the meeting - there have been five ceasefire violations since Monday. The Army said Indian troops did not retaliate.

But Pakistan's army alleged this morning that Indian troops violated the ceasefire on the LoC yesterday and "carried out unprovoked firing" in Hotspring and Jandrot sectors killing one of its soldiers at the Kundi post.

Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) talked to his Indian counterpart this morning and lodged a protest about the alleged incident. India has denied Pakistan's allegation and is said to have suggested that the death could have been caused due to retaliatory firing by the Indian side. Sources say India's DGMO also conveyed that Pakistan must stop firing at Indian posts if it wants to check such incidents.

Army chief General Bikram Singh visited the family of Lance Naik Hemtraj Singh, one of the two jawans who were killed by Pakistani troops last week. "If a Pakistani soldier has been killed, it may have been in retaliatory firing. We have not crossed the Line of Control," he said, reiterating that India had "never violated human rights, but when they fire, we also fire."

Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, has described General Bikram Singh's words as "very hostile".  She also alleged in New York that there is "war mongering coming from across the border," adding that while her country is committed to peace and making relations with India normal, "statements coming in from the highest levels in India, that up the ante, are disappointing."

Yesterday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his first direct comments since two Indian soldiers were brutally killed by Pakistani troops last week, said that it "cannot be business as usual" with Islamabad given the current situation. Speaking to NDTV, the Prime Minister said, "Those responsible for this crime will have to be brought to book" and hoped "Pakistan realises this". Dr Singh was referring to the mutilation of the bodies of the two Indian jawans, Lance Naik Hemraj Singh and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh; Hemraj Singh's body was beheaded.

The tension along the LoC has hit sporting ties between the two countries. Yesterday, a decision was taken to send back nine Pakistani players who were in India to play in the inaugural Hockey India League tournament. This decision was closely followed by reports that the Pakistani women's cricket team is also unlikely to travel to India for the World Cup that starts from January 31. There is uncertainty, too, over the fate of the meeting of Commerce Ministers of India and Pakistan, scheduled later this month.

(With inputs from PTI)