Dedicated to the Brave Soldiers who died fighting for the Country

[Hindustani78]

By: PTI | Jammu | Published: December 24, 2017 8:44 pm
Sepoy Pargat Singh’s body, who martyred in the Rajouri sector of J&K yesterday, were flown in to the Ambala Airforce Station. His body draped in National flag was extended full military honour as per military traditions. (Express photo)

By: PTI | New Delhi | Published: December 24, 2017 9:06 pm
Family of Lance Naik Gurmail Singh in mourning as his remains are brought to his village in Amritsar district. (Source: ANI)

General Officer Commanding of White Knight Corps Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh laid wreaths at a military send-off in Jammu which was attended by senior Army officers, police officers and other ranks, a defence spokesperson said.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Speaker of legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta and some other ministers of the state also attended the ceremony and paid tributes to the slain soldiers, he said.

Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh said the soldiers’ sacrifice would motivate the future generations.

“The nation will remain forever indebted for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty of our heroes,” he said.

A separate ceremony was held in Udhampur where GOC-in-C northern command Lt Gen D Anbu laid the wreaths, the spokesman said.

Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas (32) of Maharashtra, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (34) and Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh (30) of Punjab, and Sepoy Pargat Singh (30) of Haryana were killed in a cross-border firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Keri sector.

 

[Hindustani78]

The deceased were identified as Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, Lance Naik Kuldip Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh — all of the 2 Sikh Regiment.



Major Arun Sharma

Major Ambadas, 32, from Bhandara district in Maharashtra, is survived by his wife Avoli Moharkar.


Sepoy Pargat Singh (Karnal district)
[URL='http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/ex-servicemen-pay-homage-to-major/517953.html']Sepoy Pargat Singh, 30, belonged to Karnal district in Haryana. He is survived by his wife Ramanpreet Kaur and a son.

[/URL]
Lance Naik Gurmail Singh (Amritsar district)

Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34, belonged to Punjab’s Amritsar district. He leaves behind his wife Kuljit Kaur and a daughter.

Lance Naik Kuldip Singh (Bathinda district)

Lance Naik Kuldip Singh belonged to Kaureena village of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda

**************
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/ex-servicemen-pay-homage-to-major/517953.html
Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 23


Members of the Himalayan Ex-servicemen Welfare Association paid homage to Major Arun Sharma on his 14th death anniversary today. The function was held at Nalti Parnal in Bilaspur district. He belonged to Kulwadi village in Ghumarwin tehsil of Bilaspur district.

Major Arun Sharma laid down his life fighting insurgents in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on December 23, 2003. He was posted with 5 Engineer Regiment of the Army.

Captain (retd) Jagdish Chand Verma said a two-minute silence was observed in the memory of the martyr at the function attended by ex-servicemen of Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Mandi districts. The function was attended by Brigadier SK Verma (Retd), Chairman of Directorate Himachal Pradesh ESM Hamirpur.

He said that a delegation led by Subedar Chander Prakash was also sent from Major Arun Sharma’s unit to pay homage at the behest of the unit’s Commanding Officer and all ranks. Family members of the martyr also attended the function.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/chopal-residents-want-road-named-after-martyr/518916.html
Kuldeep Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, December 25

After a long wait of 52 years, residents of Bhalu, a native village of Lt Hari Singh, (23), a martyr of 1965 war, got road connectivity and a bus service a few months ago. The residents want the road to be named after the martyr as they feel that it would be real tribute to the martyr.

Though the residents of Chopal remember him every year by organising Lt Hari Singh Memorial tournament, they want to pay tribute to the valiant soldier after the completion of 52 years of his martyrdom. War veterans and residents have demanded that the soldiers be remembered.

“We fought for 52 years to get road connectivity to the village. It was recently that an HRTC bus began plying to the martyr’s village for the first time”, said Joginder Singh, a resident of Bhalu village in the Chopal subdivision. “The road or school should be named after him as he laid down his life at the age of 23 years,” he added.

Capt Jagdish Verma, president, Honorary Commissioned Officers’ Welfare Association, said the nation remembered the bravehearts who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. The war veteran said the martyrs deserved more than what the government had offered to their families.

It was a pity that the Bhalu village got road connectivity after 52 years, said Lt BM Dogra, Indian Navy, who participated in 1965 and 1971 wars.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
27-December, 2017 14:44 IST
Suicides by Army Personnel
The details of number of incidents of suicide in the defence forces during last three years and the current year, force-wise & year-wise is as under:

Year

Army
Officers
JCOs/ORs

Navy
Officers
Sailors

Air Force
Officers
Airmen

2014
02
82

Nil
04

02
19

2015

01
77

Nil
03

Nil
14

2016

04
100

01
05

03
16

2017

02
67

01
04

Nil
18

Some of the reasons for committing suicide are family issues/ domestic problems, marital discord, perceived grievances and personal issues etc.

The details of number of officers and Other Ranks who have applied for premature retirement during the last three years and the current year are as under:-

Year

Army
Officers
JCOs/ORs

Navy
Officers
Sailors

Air Force
Officers
Airmen

2014
165
12703

74
32

135
722

2015
108
9296

130
16

67
550

2016
291
12307

142
26

139
649

2017
239*
3844**

30**
15

144
136

* As on 1.10.2017
** upto March 2017

Various steps have been taken by the Armed Forces to create healthy/ appropriate environment for their Officers and Other Ranks. Some of these steps are as under:-
· Provision of better quality of facilities such as clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling, recreation etc. and periodic welfare meeting.
· Conduct of yoga and meditation as a tool for stress management.
· Training & deployment of psychological counsellors.
· Institutionalization of projects ‘MILAP’ and ‘SAHYOG’ by Army in Northern & Eastern Command to reduce stress among troops.
· A ‘Mansik Sahayata Helpline’ have been established by Army & Air Force to take professional counselling.
· Mental Health Awareness is provided during pre-induction training.
· Formation of Military Psychiatry Treatment Centre at INHS Asvini and establishment of Mental Health Centres in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Port Blair, Goa and Karwar.
This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Smt Darshana Vikram Jardosh and Shri Dushyant Chautala in Lok Sabha today.

 

[Hindustani78]

New Delhi, DH News Service, Dec 27 2017, 21:16 IST

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/650415/soldiers-suicide-425-army-iaf.html

As many as 425 Indian soldiers from the Army, Air Force and Navy committed suicide in the last four years, in yet another demonstration of an unfortunate trend that dogs the armed forces for years.

The maximum number of suicide cases were reported from nearly 12 lakh strong Army where nine officers and 326 soldiers took their lives. This is followed by the IAF which reported suicide of five officers and 67 airmen since 2014.

The Navy is the least affected service with two officers and 16 sailors committing suicides in the last four years, the Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

The maximum number of suicides was reported in 2016 (129) followed by 2014 (109) and 2015 (95). This year 92 cases have been reported so far.

The statistics reflect an abject trend of the Army witnessing more "physical casualties," coming from suicides, road accidents and fratricide cases rather than "battle casualties" that happen in the counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations.

Physical casualties in the Army is more than 12 times the number of battle casualties with road accidents and suicide being the two major culprits. Multiple directives were issued in the recent months to check the fitness of the drivers, sensitise them on safe driving and punishing the errant drivers as a deterrent.

What adds to the woes of the military is the premature retirement taken by thousands of soldiers to leave the military early at a time when the armed forces are facing a shortage of nearly 60,000 personnel.

According to the details provided by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha, the deficiency of officers in the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force is 9,259 while the number for below officer rank personnel is 50,363.

Bhamre told the Parliamentarians that nearly 42,000 soldiers took premature retirement from the three services since 2014. The maximum number of the premature retirement was reported from the Army with 803 officers and 38,150 soldiers (up to March 2017) opt for severing their ties with the military.

"Various steps have been taken by the armed forces to create a healthy and appropriate environment for the officers and other ranks," Bhamre said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...sefire-violation-pakistan-terrorists-5001566/

Reacting to reports on the significant rise in militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, police chief S P Vaid on Monday assured that terror activities had declined sharply in the state as compared to the previous years and the situation was getting better with each passing day. However, a report in PTI said 117 youths across the Kashmir region have joined militant groups till November 30, 2017. “It (the high number of youth joining militancy) is not based on facts. Militancy is not increasing and the reality is that the situation is fast returning to normal (in Kashmir),” PTI quoted Vaid as saying.

Apart from insurgency due to home-grown militant groups, series of infiltrations and cross-border firing has also adversely affected the harmony in the state. The Line of Control (LoC) has witnessed 820 ceasefire violations in 2017, claiming the lives of 14 soldiers. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), J&K witnessed over 60 deaths in 2017, the highest since 2010.

Here is a list of security personnel who lost their lives serving their duty in 2017:

(Based on The Indian Express’ news reports)

Major Moharkar Prafulla Ambadas, 32 of Maharashtra (was killed during cross-border firing by Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Keri sector of Rajouri district along the Line of Control)

Lance Naik Gurmail Singh, 34 (was killed during cross border firing by Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Keri sector of Rajouri district along the Line of Control)

Lance Naik Kuldeep Singh, 30 of Punjab (was killed during cross border firing by Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Keri sector of Rajouri district along the Line of Control)

Sepoy Pargat Singh, 30 (was killed during cross border firing by Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) in Keri sector of Rajouri district along the Line of Control)

Sepoy Mandeep Singh of Chahal Khurd in Gurdaspur district (was killed while preventing an infiltration bid in the remote Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district)

Constable Tapa Mondal (was killed when Pakistani Rangers fired at a patrol party in J&K Samba district)

Police constable Zahir Abbas (Bandipora encounter)

Sub-inspector Imran Tak, police officer (was killed by militants in a shootout at Zakura area on the outskirts of Srinagar)

SPO Haleem Gujjar (The officer was shot by terrorists at his residence in Gutroo village of Tral area)

BSF constable Mohammad Ramzan Parray (The officer was dragged out of his home and shot dead by militants)

Sergeant K Milind Kishor, 33 (Hajin encounter)

Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan, 31 (Hajin encounter)

Police head constable named Ashiq Hussain (was shot dead by militants in Awantipora)

Assistant Sub-Inspector Ram Parveshar Yadav (SSB jawan killed in Banihal)

Sepoy Rajesh Khatri (was killed by Pakistan army during patrol in Keran sector)

Imtiyaz Ahmad of Palpora, police officer (was killed by militants near Rajnath Singh meet venue)

BSF officer Kamaljit Singh, 50 (martyred in an attack from across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district)

Kishan Lal, police officer (was killed after militants attacked a bus of security personnel on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway)

ASI Abdul Rashid (was shot dead by militants in Anantnag district)

CRPF constable Jaswant Singh (Pulwama attack)

CRPF head constable Dhanawade Ravindra Baban (Pulwama attack)

Constable Imtiyaz Ahmad (Pulwama attack)

SPO Md Y Hajam (Pulwama attack)

Rafiq A Hajam (Pulwama attack)

Orderly A Singh (Pulwama encounter)

Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman (Shopian encounter)

Sepoy Ilayaraja P (Shopian encounter)

Junior Commissioned Officer Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar, 42 of Madhya Pradesh (Shopian encounter)

Martyred soldier Pawan Singh Sugra (was killed in Pakistan firing on LoC)

Major Kamlesh Pandey of 62 Rashtriya Rifles (was killed after militants opened fire on an Army patrol)

Sepoy Tanzin Chhultim of 62 Rashtriya Rifles (was killed after militants opened fire on an Army patrol)

Army Jawan Jayadrath Singh (was killed in firing by Pakistani army)

Sepoy Jaspreet Singh (was killed during unprovoked firing by Pakistan at LOC in Nowshera)

Sub inspector Sahib Shukla, CRPF officer (was killed after militants attacked a CRPF vehicle in Srinagar’s Pantha Chowk)

Naik Sandip Jadhav of 15 Maratha Light Infantry (was killed in an attack by a team of Pakistani Special Forces)

Police officer Feroz Ahmad Dar (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Shariq Ahmed of Budgam (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Tasveer Ahmed of Budgam (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Sharaz Ahmed of Achabal (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Mohammed Asif of Anantnag (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Sabzar Ahmed of Anantnag (was killed in a militant attack at Achabal in south Kashmir)

Police constable Shabir Ahmad Dar (was shot dead by militants at his residence in Bogund village of Pulwama district)

Police constable Sajjad Ahmad (was killed in an attack by militants on a police patrol at Hyderpora in Srinagar)

Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz (The officer was killed by militants after being abducted from a wedding ceremony at Shopian)

Assistant Sub Inspector Bashir Ahmad of Qazipora Kulgam (was killed after militants targeted a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam)

Constable (selection grade) Farooq Ahmad Bhat of Lokripora Kulgam (was killed after militants targeted a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam)

Constable Mohammed Qasim of Awoora Lolab (was killed after militants targeted a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam)

Constable Muzaffar Ahmad of Yarkushipora Kulgam (was killed after militants targeted a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam)

Constable Zahoor Ahmad of Zakoora Srinagar (was killed after militants targeted a cash van of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam)

Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh of 22 Sikh Battalion (Pakistan border action team killed and beheaded their bodies in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch in Jammu & Kashmir)

Head Constable Prem Sagar of the BSF 200 Battalion (Pakistan border action team killed and beheaded their bodies in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch in Jammu & Kashmir)

Head Constable Bassappa, CRPF officer (was killed when militants attacked a convoy of the paramilitary force along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway)

Sepoy Deepak Jaganath (was killed during ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Gulpur area along the Line of Control in Poonch district)

J&K Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel Manzoor Ahmad Naik (Tral encounter)

M J Sreejith of 44 Rashtriya Rifles (Shopian ambush)

Lance Naik Ghulam Mohiuddin Rather from Bijbehara (Shopian ambush)

Sepoy Vikas Singh Gurjar from Rajasthan (Shopian ambush)

Major Satish Dahiya (Handwara encounter)

Patrolman Dharmendra Kumar from Nainital (Hajin encounter)

Rifleman Ravi Kumar from Samba in J&K (Hajin encounter)

Grenadier Astosh Kumar from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh (Hajin encounter)

Major S Dahiya (Kralgund encounter)

Lance Naik Gopal Singh Bhadoria (martyred in a gun-battle with terrorists in Kulgam district)

Lance Naik Raghuvir Singh (martyred in a gun-battle with terrorists in Kulgam district)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-in-pulwama/article22337270.ece?homepage=true
Srinagar, December 31, 2017 07:35 IST
Updated: December 31, 2017 17:53 IST

Policemen stand guard outside the Central Reserve Police Force training centre during a gunbattle with suspected militants in Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday. | Photo Credit: Reuters


"The militants lobbed grenades and opened indiscriminate fire at the entrance of the security installation," said a police official.

Militants on Sunday morning attacked a CRPF installation in south Kashmir's Pulwama, triggering a gunfight. Five jawans and three militants were killed in the attack.

Preliminary reports suggest a group of militants, believed to be around three, targetted the installation of 185 BN CRPF near at Lethpora area of Awantipora around 3 a.m.

"The militants lobbed grenades and opened indiscriminate fire at the entrance of the security installation," said a police official.

The fire between militants and the security forces is going on. The militants are believed to be a fidayeen (suicide) group and may have entered the complex, which is also a training centre of CRPF.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to zero in on the militants.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/651035/soldier-killed-pak-violates-ceasefire.html

An army soldier was killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

An army official said Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling and firing on Indian forward areas and border hamlets in Rumli Dhara from 1.20 am on Sunday, which was strongly and effectively retaliated by the Indian army.

"In the exchange of fire, one army jawan of 19 Punjab regiment was killed," he said.

***************
http://indianexpress.com/article/in...kills-one-soldier-in-nowshera-sector-5006295/

An Army jawan was killed along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector’s Rumli Dhara as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on forward Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch districts on Sunday.

Sources said the Indian troops retaliated strongly and effectively to the Pakistan ceasefire violation during wee hours on Sunday. However, an Army jawan got grievously injured in the exchange of fire and later succumbed to injuries. He has been identified as Sepoy Jagsir Singh, 32, of village Lohgarh Thakhran Wala in Ferozepur district of Punjab. He is survived by his wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and a son.

“General Officer Commanding (GOC) of White Knight Corps and all ranks salute brave heart Sepoy Jagsir Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in Nowshera sector and offer condolences to his family,” a defence spokesperson said. He said Singh was a brave and sincere soldier and the nation would always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty.

Pakistani troops also resorted to unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire in Poonch district’s Krishna Ghati sector in the evening, though there were no casualties. Sources said the firing from across the border started at 4.50 pm and the Indian troops returned fire strongly.

The latest incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops come a day after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat visited forward posts in Rajouri district and exhorted the troops to “remain vigilant’’ and “ever ready”. During his visit on Saturday, Rawat was briefed on actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter infiltration grid, sources said.

Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt General D Anbu, visited White Knight Corps to review their operation preparedness and the prevailing security. He was briefed by General Officer Commanding Lt General Saranjeet Singh about the “preparedness of the White Knight Corps in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by the inimical forces”, a statement issued by a defence ministry spokesperson said.

Lt General D Anbu had visited forward areas of Rajouri district on Wednesday. However, a day later, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on forward Indian positions along the LoC in Khari Karmara area of Poonch. Khari Karmara falls opposite to Rawalakote area of Pakistan where the Indian Army had killed three Pakistani troopers on Monday evening in a cross-LoC attack. The raid had come in retaliation to the killing of four Indian soldiers, including a Major, by Pakistani troops in adjoining Rajouri district’s Keri sector on Saturday.

 

[Kyubi]

Happy New Year to the invincible Indian Armed Forces

 

[Hindustani78]

Central Reserve Police Force personnel carry a coffin containing a body of their colleague, who was killed during a gun battle with suspected militants at CRPF training centre, in Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, on Sunday. (REUTERS)

Sepoy Jagsir Singh of 18 Punjab regiment was posted at a forward post in Rumlidhara in Nowshera sub division.(HT Photo)

Singh (32) belonged to Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district and is survived by his wife Mohinder Pall Kaur, two daughters and a son.

On Saturday, Indian army chief general Bipin Rawat had visited the LoC in Rajouri to take stock of the security preparedness.

*****************
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ers-wounded/story-2Hngun9LqdvVF6cLKxo7KK.html

Five soldiers and two gunmen were killed when militants stormed a CPRF camp in a pre-dawn strike in south Kashmir on Sunday, an official said, capping off a year in which security forces upped the offensive but also suffered losses in the border state.

Three Central Reserve Police Force men were injured in the Pulwama attack claimed by Pakistan-based terrorist group, whose top leader was gunned down in the district on December 26. The soldiers were in hospital but stable.

“Two militants have been killed. Search is on for the third militant. Operation is still on,’’ CRPF inspector-general Ravideep Sahi said.

At least three heavily armed militants hurled grenades and entered the 185th battalion camp of the CRPF in Lethpora at around 2am, sources said.

The personnel on sentry duty returned fire, and a gun battle broke out, sources said.

The militants made a dash for block three, which housed a day clinic and a control room, of the main building complex and kept firing.

While Block 2 had offices, Block 1 was a residential accommodation and all its 15-20 occupants were evacuated, sources said.

Three personnel were hit in the first few minutes of the militants entering the camp situated along the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.

While three died of bullet wounds, a fourth had a cardiac arrest, sources said.

A fifth jawan was killed late in the afternoon when forces went to retrieve the body of a militant. As soon as they entered the building, they were fired upon, sources said.

The CRPF identified the dead as inspector Kuldip Roy from Hamirpur in Himachal, head constable Taufail Ahmed from J&K’s Rajouri and constables Saif-u-Din Ganie from Budgam in Kashmir, Rajendra from Churu in Rajasthan and constable PK Panda from Odisha’s Sundargarh.

Securitymen on alert after Sunday’s attack. (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo)

Camp officials, said police sources, were given specific inputs about a possible strike. CRPF’s Sahi said there were intelligence inputs about attacks on “security installations”.

The Lethpora camp also serves as a training facility for counter-militancy operations.

Both the militants killed were Kashmiris and were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday.

It was rare for locals to be involved in what security sources described as a suicide mission. Such fidayeen attacks are normally carried out by foreign militants, several of whom are active in the Valley.

The attack follows a string of high-profile counter-insurgency operations that have dealt blows to Jaish, Laskhar-e-Taiba, another Pakistan-based group, and the home-grown Hizbul Mujahideen.

Noor Mohammad Tantray, a top Jaish commander, who masterminded several attacks on security forces, was killed in Pulwama on December 26.

Around 206 militants, 75 security men and 24 civilians have died in Kashmir violence, making 2017 the deadliest year in a decade.

Sunday’s early-morning strike follows a pattern. Eight security personnel died after militants stormed a district police complex in Pulwama in August.

A soldier was killed in another pre-dawn raid the same month when militants targeted a Border Security Force camp near the Srinagar airport.

The two strikes are believed to have been carried out by a Jaish special squad allegedly formed to avenge the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

 

[Hindustani78]

Pakistan also shelled Shahpur sector of Poonch district. — Photo for representation


Tribune News Service
Jammu, February 4
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ja...-in-pak-shelling-in-j-k-s-rajouri/538620.html

An Army Captain, three jawans were killed and four other persons were injured on Sunday in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir forcing Indian troops to retaliate, officials said.

Pakistani forces opened unprovoked and heavy firing and shelling along LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district this evening, a senior army official told PTI.


In the heavy shelling, an officer and three jawans were killed and two others injured, they said, adding that Indian Army was giving a befitting reply as heavy exchanges were on. The slain soldiers have been identified as: Capt Kapil Kundu who hailed from Ransika village, Pataudi tehsil, Gurugram; Rifleman Ramavatar of Baraka village in Gwalior; Rifleman Subham Singh of Mukand Pur Choudharian village in Kathua and Havildar Roshan Lal of Nicholas village in Samba district.

Earlier today, a 15-year-old girl and a soldier were injured as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by targeting forward villages and posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts, officials said. With these casualties, 17 people, including nine security personnel, died and 70 were injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along the LoC and International Border in the Jammu region this year. — With PTI inputs

 

[astrologerdebrajacharya]

Captain Saurabh Kalia (29 June 1976 – 21 June 1999) is remembered for his extraordinary bravery and sacrifice during the Kargil War. In early May 1999, Captain Kalia was on patrol duty in the Kaksar area of Kargil, where he observed and reported large-scale intrusions by the Pakistani Army and foreign mercenaries across the Line of Control (LoC). To counter this infiltration, he took command of the "Bajrang Post" at an altitude of 13,000-14,000 feet along with five other soldiers.
On May 15, 1999, Captain Kalia and his men were engaged in a continuous firefight with Pakistani forces. Unfortunately, they eventually ran out of ammunition, and their signal equipment failed or was unsuitable for the conditions, making it impossible to call for reinforcement. Surrounded by a platoon of Pakistani rangers, they were captured alive.
Captain Kalia and his team were held in captivity for over twenty-two days, from May 15 to June 7, 1999. During this period, they were subjected to severe and brutal torture. The evidence of this inhuman treatment was starkly visible on their bodies when they were returned by the Pakistani Army on June 9, 1999.
The torture and martyrdom of Captain Kalia and his men remain a poignant reminder of the extreme sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in the line of duty. His bravery and the brutal end he met underscore the harsh realities of war and the enduring spirit of the soldiers who protect their nation.