Monday, May 19, 2014

PAK-INDIA: Army Jawan Killed in First Ceasefire Violation After Election

An army jawan was killed and two others injured on Sunday when they went to rescue a colleague hurt in a landmine blast, in the first major incident of firing by Pakistani troops at the border after the Narendra Modi-led BJP won the general election. The army said at around 10 am, Havaldar Vinod Kumar, a part of the Engineer Regiment, was injured while planting landmines on the Indian side at the Pallanwalla sector near the Line of Control. When a Maratha Light Infantry patrol team went to rescue him, Pakistani troops opened fire and wounded three soldiers. One of them later died. There have been several infiltration bids this month by Pakistani militants along the Line of Control. On May 10, two militants were killed in the Poonch sector, where infiltrators had tried to enter earlier on May 3. In 2013, 12 jawans were killed and 41 injured in the highest number of ceasefire violations - 149 - and firing by Pakistan troops along the India-Pakistan border. Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed hope for good ties with the new government to be led by Narendra Modi. Mr Sharif has reportedly cited his working relationship with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the last prime minister to lead a BJP government, as a reason for his optimism.

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