Vigil along LoC beefed up: Antony

Vigil along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir has been stepped up following last month's ambush by Pakistani army on Indian troops in which two jawans were killed, government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"On Jan 8, a Pak Border Action Team ambushed our patrol party in Krishna Ghati, Mendhar Sector in which Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh and Lance Naik Hemraj were killed. Lance Naik Hemraj was found beheaded and both bodies were mutilated," Defence Minister A K Antony said.

In a written reply, he said that the weapons of the two jawans were also taken by Pakistani army. On whether Government has taken up the issue with their Pakistani counterpart, Antony said a Brigade-level Flag Meeting of both the sides was held on January 14.

"The issue was protested through the DGMO talks on Jan 9 and 16, Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting at Chakan Da Bagh on Jan 14 and hotline messages at the local levels," he said.

The issue was also taken up with Pakistan through diplomatic channels. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir on January 9 and lodged a strong protest on the actions of the Pakistan army.

He also conveyed that barbaric acts of mutilation of the bodies of our soldiers is unacceptable and against the ethos of soldiering, Antony said.

On efforts taken made by India to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future, he said, "Heightened vigil is being maintained along the Line of Control in J&K and surveillance, including human intelligence and technical intelligence, has been further enhanced."

To another question, Antony said that 93 ceasefire violations have been reported along the LoC by Pakistan in year 2012.