Indian soldier killed in Pak. firing

A soldier was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu’s Rajouri district on Friday. In the Kashmir valley, a wanted worker of the The Resistance Front (TRF) outfit was arrested and newly introduced Chinese grenades were also recovered.

An Army official said a soldier, identified as Naib Subedar Ravinder, was killed in the Pakistan Army’s firing in Nowshera area of Rajouri district.

“Around 3.30 p.m., Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in Nowshera. Around 5.30 p.m., Pakistan again initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation. Our troops responded strongly to the enemy fire. However, one soldier was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries,” the Army said.

In the Kashmir valley, suspected militants tossed a grenade towards a security forces’ camp in Chanapora area. “However, there were no reports of any casualty,” officials said.

Meanwhile, a new variant of Chinese grenades were recovered from a worker of the TRF outfit in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

“The TRF worker was tasked to recruit youth and to kill a newly elected councillor. Three new types of Chinese grenades were also recovered,” the police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Abdul Qayoom identified the arrested militant associate as Asif Gull.

“Gull, who was on the police radar for the past six months after his involvement in a grenade attack in Baramulla in August in 2020, was held on December 29 last year,” SSP Qayoom said.

During the investigation, the police said, Gull was in touch with top militants in the valley and the handlers across the LoC.

“Gull had even managed to move outside J&K. He was named in at least 29 FIRs in Baramulla, four at Sopore, and also was booked four times under the Public Safety Act. Gull’s friend Abid Qayoom Lone, a student enrolled at a Jammu college crossed into Pakistan via the Wagah border by availing a visa and is presently running the TRF outfit as its top commander,” the police said.

“With his arrest, almost eight young men have been saved from joining the TRF outfit and his stay in Srinagar is also being investigated. It’ll be thoroughly investigated what he was tasked with,” Mr. Qayoom said.

The SSP said his activities also involved radicalising young boys for terrorist activities, harbouring militants, managing finances and arranging logistics for them. “He was in contact with Hyder alias Jajja, Usman, a foreign terrotist, and Inayatullah, all killed in encounters, besides the TRF commander across (the LoC),” the SSP said.