'Pakistan given stern warning, asked to take bodies of two slain intruders'

A day after killing two heavily-armed Pakistani intruders in a gunfight which also left three soldiers dead, the Army on Monday conveyed a stern warning to Pakistan to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil.

The army also asked Pakistan to take over the bodies of its two hostile nationals, said an army officer who did not want to be named.

"Pakistan Army has been informed through established communication channels to take over the bodies of the hostile Pakistani Nationals. A stern warning has been conveyed to Pakistan Army to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil, the officer said.

Three soldiers of Eight Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) Havildar Kaushal Kumar of Nowshera (Rajouri), lance naik Ranjeet Singh of Doda and rifleman Rajat Kumar Basan of Pallanwala (Jammu) were killed and rifleman Rakesh Kumar of Samba was injured when a group of five to six Pakistani armed intruders crossed the line of control (LoC) and fired on an army patrol in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Sunday.

During the ensuing fire-fight, two intruders, wearing combat uniform and believed to be members of Pakistani Border Action Team, were eliminated but their identity could not be ascertained.

The officer said since the Director General of Military operations (DGMO) level talks on May 29, which was held at the behest of Pakistan, Indian Army has been maintaining utmost restraint to uphold the ceasefire along the LoC despite regular provocative actions from across the border.

However, Pakistan Army has been vigorously attempting to send terrorists across the LoC which was evident from the fact that seven infiltration bids have been foiled by the Army since May 30, in which 23 terrorists have been killed, the officer said.

He said reports suggest concentration of large number of terrorists in the launch pads desperate to infiltrate before the onset of snow.

The army troops are fully alert and maintaining round-the-clock vigil to scuttle any attempt of infiltration by the terrorists, he said.