Indian soldier killed in cross-border shelling by Pakistan

An Indian Army soldier was killed on Monday as Pakistan resorted to heavy cross-border shelling during the ongoing ceasefire violation at the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The naib subedar was the fourth soldier to die on the LoC since June 5, reports Hindustan Times. 

Pakistan violated the ceasefire in several sectors in Poonch and Rajouri districts earlier on Monday.

A defence spokesperson said Pakistan army violated the ceasefire in Poonch's Krishna Ghati at around 3:30am on Monday.

"Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along LoC in Krishna Ghati Sector… Indian Army retaliated befittingly," the spokesperson said.

The ceasefire agreement was violated again by Pakistan in Nowshera sector of Rajouri at about 5:30am, the spokesperson added.

Havaldar P Mathiazhagan had also fallen to Pakistani firing in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on June 4 and Naik Gurcharan Singh lost his life in a similar incident on June 10 in Tarkundi sector that runs along Rajouri and Poonch districts.

A 29-year-old sepoy, Lungambui Abonmei, died in Pakistani shelling in Poonch district on June 14.

Pakistan's army has violated the ceasefire more than 1,400 times this year. Last year, there were 3,168 ceasefire violations and 1,629 in 2018.