Indian soldiers patrolling near the Line of Control. (File Pic)
JAMMU – India and Pakistan on Monday exchanged artillery fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir
The Pakistan Army engaged in mortar shelling and small arms firing at Indian posts along the LoC in Poonch in violation of a ceasefire agreement, a defence spokesman said.
The shelling and firing from across the border in Kirni and Qasba sectors started around 6.30 PM, prompting befitting retaliation by the Indian Army, the spokesman said.
He said there was no immediate report of any casualty on the Indian side.
The two sectors witnessed intense shelling by Pakistan for nearly one-and-a-half hours on Sunday.
157 Militants Killed In 2019: Govt
As many as 138 cases of infiltration by militants were reported along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in 2019 and 157 terrorists were killed in the said period in Jammu and Kashmir, the government informed Parliament on Monday.
In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said, “There have been 138 cases of infiltration by militants along Line of Control/International Border during the year 2019.
“Due to concerted and synergised efforts of security forces, 157 militants were neutralised in the year 2019 in Jammu & Kashmir.”
Replying to another question, the minister said in the last five years — 2015-16 to 2019-20 (up to January, 2020) — 158 contracts were signed with Indian vendors and 100 with foreign vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment for the armed forces.
The defence equipment procured from Indian vendors over the last five years included helicopters, radars, electronic fuses, bridges, ballistic helmets, bullet-proof jackets, rocket launchers and vehicles, he added.
The defence equipment procured from foreign vendors in the said period included helicopters, aircraft, search-and-rescue equipment, air defence radars and systems, assault rifles and rockets, Naik said.
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