646 incidents of ceasefire violation along LoC in first 2 months this year, says govt

There have been 646 incidents of ceasefire violations along India-Pakistan international border as well as the Line of Control (LoC) in the first two months of this year, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

"There have been 1,586 incidents of ceasefire violations in 2019 and 646 incidents of ceasefire violations during the first two months of 2020 (upto 23rd February), on Indo-Pak International Border as well as Line of Control after August 5, 2019 (the abrogation of Article 370)," Union Minister of State for Defence, Shripad Naik said in a written reply in the lower House of Parliament.

"In addition, 132 cases of cross-border firing from August 5, 2019 to December 31, 2019 and 41 cases of cross border firing between January 1, 2020 to February 15, 2020, along International Border and Line of Control in UT of J & K were committed," he added.

The Minister further informed that there have been 27 encounters with terrorists in UT of Jammu and Kashmir since August 5, 2019 to February 23 this year. 45 terrorists were neutralized and seven security personnel were killed, he said.

"Appropriate retaliation to the ceasefire violations has been carried out by the Indian Army. All violations of ceasefire are taken up with Pakistan authorities at the appropriate level through the established mechanism of hotlines, flag meetings, Directorate Generals of Military Operations talks as well as diplomatic channels between the two countries," the Minister said.