Mutilation of bodies of Indian soldiers by Pak is barbaric, armed forces will react appropriately: Arun Jaitley

Under the cover of heavy mortar fire, a Pakistani special forces team sneaked 250 metres across the LoC into the Poonch sector and beheaded two Indian security personnel.

File photo

Delhi: Describing the mutilation of two Indian security personnel as 'reprehensible', Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Monday that armed forces will react appropriately.

"The act of killing and mutilating the bodies of two of our soldiers is the most reprehensible and barbaric. The sacrifice will not go in vain," he said.

He added, "We have fullest confidence in our armed forces who will react appropriately."

The Act of killing & mutilating the bodies of two of our soldiers is the most reprehensible & barbaric. The sacrifice will not go in vain. — Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 1, 2017

We have fullest confidence in our Armed forces who will react appropriately.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) May 1, 2017

Under the cover of heavy mortar fire, a Pakistani special forces team sneaked 250 metres across the Line of Control (LoC) into the Poonch sector and beheaded two Indian security personnel today.

The Indian Army vowed an 'appropriate' response to the 'despicable act', which significantly took place a day after Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa visited some areas along the LoC and promised support to the Kashmiris.

The attack was carried out by the Border Action Team (BAT), which comprises the special forces, under the cover of shelling by Pakistani troops in Krishna Ghati Sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army issued a statement saying that the bodies of an army soldier and a BSF head constable were mutilated but a senior army officer told PTI that they were beheaded.

The BAT team had set up an ambush to target the patrol party of the Indian soldiers while the Pakistan Army engaged two Indian forward defence locations (FDL) with rockets and mortar bombs, the officials said.

"It was a pre-planned operation of the Pakistan Army. They had pushed in BAT teams over 250 meters deep inside Indian territory and set up ambushes for a long period to carry out the attack," a senior army official said.

"The Pakistani army posts attacked two FDL posts with rockets and mortar bombs at 0830 hours and engaged them," the official said.

"Their target was a 7 to 8-member patrol party, which had come out of the post," the official said.

He said as the posts were engaged, the patrol party men ran here and there.

"Two members of the patrol party, who were left behind, were attacked by the BAT team and killed. Their bodies were badly mutilated," the official said.

"Pakistani Army carried out unprovoked rocket and mortar firing on two forward posts on the Line of Control in Krishna Ghati Sector (in Poonch district) this morning," a defence ministry spokesman said.

"Simultaneously, a BAT (Border Action Team) action was launched on a patrol operating in between the two posts," said a statement issued by the Northern Army Command.

Incident Krishna Ghati Sector . Statement attached. pic.twitter.com/yyNFqCEHDm — NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) May 1, 2017

"In an unsoldierly act by the Pakistani Army, the bodies of two of our soldiers in the patrol were mutilated," the spokesman said, adding "Such a despicable act of the Pakistan Army will be appropriately responded".

 The soldiers killed were Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh of 22 Sikh Infantry and Head Constable Prem Sagar of 200th Battalion of BSF.

A BSF constable Rajinder Singh was injured but is out of danger.

As per reports, at 0825 hours, Pakistani army's 647 Mujahid Battalion targeted India's forward post 'Kirpan' from its post 'Pimple' in Krishna Ghati sector.

It was followed by attack on another forward post in the same area.

As per a senior BSF officer, at about 0830 hours, there was heavy firing from the Pakistani army posts at BSF posts at LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district with rockets and automatic weapons.

"They attacked with rockets a forward BSF post (which lies) ahead of the fencing and opened heavy fire from automatic weapons. They violated the ceasefire," the BSF officer said.

"It is an attack directly hitting a posts (listening post)", he said.

Indian troops retaliated and the firing continued for some time intermittently.