Indian soldier killed in Pakistan mortar attack

An Indian soldier was killed Tuesday as Pakistani troops, violating the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC), shelled an Indian post in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, the army said.

"Lance Naik Muhammad Feroze Khan was hit by a mortar splinter in Hamirpur area of Mendhar around 5.30 p.m. where Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire twice in 12 hours Tuesday," a defence spokesman told IANS.

He said Khan belonged to Hyderabad, and the Jammu-based White Knight Corps commander has expressed condolences to his family.

After unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Mendhar sector of LoC Monday evening, Pakistani troops again fired at Indian posts in the same sector Tuesday morning and intermittent firing continued for hours in the area, a defence spokesman said.

"Pakistani troops started unprovoked firing at our positions in Hamirpur area of Mendhar sector today (Tuesday) morning.

"The firing started at 6.30 a.m. Tuesday. Pakistani troops used small arms, automatics and mortars to target our positions and our troops retaliated with same caliber weapons. Intermittent firing exchanges continued till late evening," the spokesman said.

A bilateral ceasefire on the LoC was signed between India and Pakistan in November 2003, but Pakistan has been frequently violating the agreement, more than 100 times this year.