Army Vows Revenge After Terrorists Kill, Mutilate Soldier, Cross Line Of Control (LoC)

Srinagar: An Indian soldier was killed and his body mutilated by terrorists in an attack near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. The army has vowed revenge, saying "the incident will be responded to appropriately."

Sepoy Mandeep Singh who died in the attack was 27 years old, the army said. The attack took place under cover fire provided by Pakistan army. One terrorist was killed in the strike.

"In an encounter close to the Line of Control this evening, one soldier was martyred and one terrorist was killed. The terrorists mutilated the body of the jawan before fleeing back into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir under the cover of firing by Pakistan army," an army spokesman said.

The army said the incident reflected the barbarism pervading in official and unofficial organisations in Pakistan.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "I want to assure the nation that the security forces are giving befitting reply to the firing from Pakistan. We will not bow down before anyone."

The attack came hours after the Border Security Force or BSF said 15 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in retaliatory firing by Indian troops after ceasefire violation along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir. On Friday night, another BSF soldier was killed in firing by Pakistani troops.

A week ago, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed along the International Border, the BSF had said. However, Pakistan denied the deaths.

Pakistan violated the ceasefire all of Thursday and Friday morning in Rajouri, Samba, Abdullia, RS Pura and Suchetgarh, officials said.

Three BSF soldiers have been killed in Pakistani shelling in the last five days.

Areas near the border have been on high alert because of a spurt in firing from Pakistan after Indian soldiers last month crossed over the Line of Control and destroyed launchpads areas for terrorists who, the army said, were getting ready to enter India to carry out a series of attacks.