Pakistan Kills, Mutilates 2 Indian Soldiers, Army Vows Revenge

Jammu: After India vowed revenge for the mutilation of its two soldiers killed in firing along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, Pakistan's army put out a denial. Calling India's allegation "false", the Inter-Services Public Relation said in a statement, "Pakistan Army is a highly professional force and shall never disrespect a soldier, even Indian." Pakistan also denied violating ceasefire.

At around 8:30 am yesterday, an army jawan and a constable of the Border Security Force were on patrol between two forward posts when Pakistan fired rockets and mortar bombs. Sources said that Pakistan's Border Action Team crossed the Line of Control, the de facto border between the two countries, and ambushed the patrol team. It did not breach the wire fence that India uses as a boundary.
 The Pakistan army also kept up heavy firing at the Line of Control. When the patrol team took cover, Head Constable Prem Sagar of the Border Security Force and Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the army were left behind. They were killed and their bodies were mutilated.

"In an unsoldierly act by the Pak Army, the bodies of two of our soldiers in the patrol were mutilated. Such despicable act of Pakistan Army will be appropriately responded," said the Indian army's Northern Command.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley described the killings as "reprehensible and inhuman" and said such acts "do not take place even during war". The incident is set to worsen ties between the two countries, which have been deeply strained after repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, the terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and the death sentence handed to Indian man Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested in Pakistan last year.