Tension simmers at Indo-Pak border, troops on alert

Tension prevailed on Friday along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir where the army has been on a state of alert after repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.

"The borderline with Pakistan is tense. But the situation is under control (along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir)," an army official said on Friday.

The level of tension has increased after Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire continuously and also closed the gates for cross-LoC trade on Thursday.

The army is maintaining utmost vigilance along the borderline with Pakistan, he said, adding that troops have been asked to remain alert round-the-clock.

"There was no ceasefire violation along Indo-Pak border this morning," Defence spokesman Colonel R K Palta said.

Pakistan troops had violated the ceasefire and fired mortars shells and small arms on Indian posts along the LoC in Krishnagati sector of Poonch district from 5 pm to 9.30 pm on Thursday, said the spokesman.

Indian troops guarding the borderline effectively retaliated, resulting in exchanges, he said, adding that there was no casualty or injury to any one in the firing on the Indian side.

Thursday's ceasefire was the third violation by Pakistan troops along Poonch sector after they intruded into Indian territory and killed two jawans.

On January 8, Pakistan troops had violated the ceasefire twice after brutally killing Lance Naiks Hemraj and Sudhakar Singh.

In the wake of the incident, the Indian Army and the Border Security Force have reviewed the security set-up along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The security situation has been reviewed at a high-level meeting at the Rajouri-based headquarters of 25 Infantry Division headed by 16 Corps Commander Lieutenant General D S Hooda.

General Hooda has visited the forward areas and met field commanders, who briefed him about the situation and the security set-up along Indo-Pak border.

The security review has been made and vigilance has been mounted (along the Indo-Pak border), Deputy GOC, 25 Infantry Div, Brigadier J K Tiwari had said.

Northern Command Chief Lieutenant General K T Parnaik had visited the forward areas and was briefed about the incident during his visit to Poonch sector on January 8.

"We face challenging situation along the border -- the area is difficult and we are always cautious and vigilant," Brigadier Tiwari had said.

The BSF had put in place a winter strategy to deal with infiltrations and Poonch-like raids by the Pakistani troops along the International Border in Jammu-Kathua sector.

"After taking into consideration the incidents that have taken place in the last five-six months, we have put in place a winter strategy to deal with such a situation," Inspector General of BSF, Jammu frontier, Rajeev Krishna had said on Wednesday.

"We have activated the strategy after taking into account all such incidents," he had said, adding that vulnerable and strategic points have been identified, including border outposts and security strengthen.

"We have put in place anti-fog devices and surveillance devices apart from manual patrolling in this difficult weather conditions along the border," he said.

Lieutenant General Parnaik has briefed Governor N N Vohra over the killings.