Jammu:
As India and Pakistan Foreign Ministers held talks, there were reports of yet another ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani troops targeted six Indian posts on Thursday night with mortar and small arms fire in Poonch and R S Pura sectors along the border but there were no reports of any casualties.
The Pakistani troops fired on five Indian posts along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati sub-sector of Poonch from around 2130 hours, drawing retaliation from Indian army personnel, a senior army officer said.
Indian and Pakistani troops traded intermittent gunfire till late into the night at Krishna Ghati, about 280km from Jammu.
In R S Pura sector, Pakistani Rangers fired on the Kharkola border outpost at 7.30 pm and
again at 9.00 pm, a senior BSF officer said.
No one was injured in the firing which came from across the border close to Ablashah Post of Pakistan on the outpost being guarded by BSF troops of 122 Battalion, he said.
"This is a ceasefire violation by Pakistan and protests will be lodged", said the army officer.
Today's incident was the sixth ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in the last two weeks.
This was the second time in ten days that Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions at Krishna Ghati sub sector. Pakistani troops had fired at forward positions along the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch sector on July 5 night.
On July 9, Pakistani Rangers had violated the ceasefire by resorting to small arms firing along International Border on Khawara Border Out Post in Mawa belt of Samba district.
Pakistani troops had last violated the ceasefire on July 7 when they opened fire at the Chak Pagwari BOP in Pargwal in Jammu.
On July 6, Pakistani troops had fired at Pindi, Mala Bela and Chak Phagwari border outpost around 2230 in which a BSF jawan was killed and a villager injured.
Pakistani troops had also fired at the Chak Pagwari BOP on July 5 and killed BSF trooper Sultan Ali.
Earlier, Pakistani troops had also violated the ceasefire last month when they fired at a forward outpost along the International Border in Jammu on June 21.
Mendhar encounter still on
Meanwhile, it has been more than 72 hours and the encounter in Mendhar is still on. According to latest reports, an Army major and two other jawans were also injured in the encounter. Till now seven jawans including a major and a colonel have been injured. The Army also gunned down two militants.
On Wednesday, 28-year-old Major Amit Thenge was killed in the encounter. His body was brought to Jammu on Thursday from where it was sent to his home town Chindwara in Madhya Pradesh for final rites after the army paid its tributes to the officer. Major Thenge was commissioned into the Indian Army in 2007.
The anti-terrorist operation was launched by Army's 37 Rashtriya Rifle (RR) troops on inputs about the infiltration of a group of 10 to 12 militants in the dense forest belt close to the Line of Control in Mankote-Mendhar belt.
No let-up in infiltration:There is no let-up in infiltration attempts by Pak-based militants and constant ceasefire violations.
Figures available with security forces reveal that Pakistan has stepped up the efforts to create problems all along the LoC.
Infiltration bids:30 in 2009 (in the whole year)
27 in 2010 (till July 15)
Infiltrators killed:230 in 2009 (whole year)
140 in 2010 (till July 15)
Army sources:At least 15 to 16 small groups of militants are poised to infiltrate
Militants better trained, better equipped than before
Using high-end GPs and even UAVs for guidance
Active Pak army and ISI support in this effort
550-600 militants currently stationed in camps in PoK
(With PTI Inputs)