Soldier injured on LoC in Pak firing dies

JAMMU/SRINAGAR: A day after suffering critical bullet wounds in unprovoked firing by Pakistan army near the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of J&K’s Rajouri district, Naik Aneesh Thomas from Kerala succumbed to his injuries during treatment on Wednesday. Two other army personnel, including an officer, were also injured in the firing.
“Martyr Naik Aneesh Thomas was a brave, highly motivated and a sincere soldier.The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” Jammu-based defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.
Thomas’ body will reach his native village of Vayala in Kollam district of Kerala on Thursday afternoon. His body was sent to Delhi from Jammu in a service aircraft on Wednesday evening. From Delhi, the body will be sent to Thiruvananthapuram in a civil aircraft at 7am on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan army violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Gurez sector of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, targeting forward locations at Bagtore area, defence officials said. The unprovoked firing of mortars and other weapons started around 11:30am on Wednesday.
They further said that Indian Army personnel were giving a “strong and befitting” response to the ceasefire violation.
Heavy shelling was continuing from both sides till the time of going to press. However, there was no immediate report of any causality on either side.