In the midst of increased tensions since the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the Pakistani Army fired across the International Border (IB) in Jammu district late last night in a unprovoked manner, being the latest among a series of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC).
Small arms fire was reported from Pakistani side positions on April 29 and 30, targeting both the LoC in Baramulla and Kupwara districts and the IB in Jammu's Pargwal Sector, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson.
"Indian Army troops reacted appropriately," the official said, adding that the situation was quickly brought under control.
This follows in the wake of heightened tensions between the two nuclear neighbours, after the brutal April 22 terror attack in the picturesque Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam, where 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and one local, lost their lives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first statement on the attack, vowed unrelenting action against the perpetrators. "The terrorists as well as their handlers and sponsors would be relentlessly pursued," he said, assuring India's commitment to justice.
On Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a top-level, 40-minute meeting with the Prime Minister following briefing by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on India's armed forces' preparedness to respond to any escalation.
At the same time, in Srinagar, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha presided over a key security review meeting with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The meeting involved operational strategy and the search for the perpetrators behind the Pahalgam massacre. Sinha is said to have directed the Army to unleash full force to bring the guilty to book.
Security forces all over the Union Territory have since stepped up their action against terror groups. In a major development, they started demolishing the homes of active militants and their sympathizers. Homes of two Lashkar-e-Taiba men, Adil Hussain Thokar in Tral and Asif Sheikh in Bijbehara—both of whom were accused of being involved in the Pahalgam killings—were demolished on Friday. So far, the administration has razed the homes of 10 active militants in Kashmir as part of this aggressive campaign against terrorism.
In an unprecedented show of political unity, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday passed a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack in strongest words and reiterating its resolve for peace and justice.
Read also| Following Pahalgam Attack, J&K Government Shuts 48 Tourist Spots in Kashmir
