Only one incident of mutilation under Congress regime: AK Antony

Calling on the Centre to give a free hand to the Indian Army in giving an 'appropriate reply' to Pakistan's barbaric act in Jammu and Kashmir's Krishna Ghati sector, former defence minister A.K. Antony on Tuesday reminded that such an incident had happened only once under the Congress regime.

While clarifying that he does not want to politicise the incident, Antony said, "During our time, only one such incident happened. The incident of mutilation happened only once in eight years. But here it has happened thrice. It has affected the morale of the Indian Army. It puts a question on the security structure. Give freedom to the army to take appropriate action at appropriate time."

The former defence minister further reiterated that the government must give a free hand to the Army to handle it in their own way.

"My message is clear: Give freedom to the Army to take appropriate action as a reaction to this cruel, inhuman, barbaric action by Pakistan," Antony told the media.

Earlier today, Indian Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt raised the issue of Border Action Team (BAT) camps near the Line of control with his Pakistani counterpart.

Bhatt also raised the issue of fire support provided by the Pakistani posts.

"DGMO Indian Army conveyed that such dastardly and inhuman act is beyond any norms of civility and merits unequivocal condemnation and response," the Indian Army said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) has highlighted that the brutal Krishna Ghati incident occurred post the visit of the Pakistan Army Chief to the Line of Control (LoC), adding that Islamabad's BAT, involved in the attack, comprised Mujahedeen terrorists as well.

"I would not like to comment formally on this. But yes, everybody knows that this has taken place immediately after the visit of the Pakistan Army Chief to the frontal area," said BSF Additional Director General (ADG) Western Command K.N. Choubey.

Yesterday, the Pakistani soldiers along with their Border Action Team (BAT), which include trained border inhabitants, launched a joint attack.

They first fired rockets and followed this up with firing from automatic weapons, near Kranti Post located in Poonch's Krishna Ghati Sector around 8.30 a.m.

The Pakistanis then crossed the LoC, entered 200 meters into Indian Territory, and attacked a joint patrol of the Army and Border Security Force (BSF), heading towards a nearby post.

It is the same Krishna Ghati sector where the Pakistani BAT had beheaded Lance Naik Hemraj and badly severed the head of Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh of 13 Rajputana Rifles, on January 8, 2013.