Indian soldiers killed in Kashmir
January 8, 2013
India has accused Pakistan of sending troops across the heavily militarized Line of Control (LOC) dividing the disputed region of Kashmir on Tuesday. Two Indian soldiers were killed and one wounded in a half-hour gunfight that allegedly took place 600 meters (.37 miles) across the LOC in Mendhar.
The body of one of the soldiers was found "badly mutilated" in a forested area, said Rajesh K. Kalia, spokesman for the Indian army's Northern Command.
"The government of India considers the incident as a provocative action and we condemn it," said a statement from India's defense ministry. "The government will take up the incident with the Pakistan government."
A Pakistan military spokesman denied what he called an "Indian allegation of unprovoked firing." He called India's allegations "propaganda" to divert attention away from a clash that occurred along the LOC two days earlier.
Pakistan's army says Indian troops crossed the LOC on Sunday and attacked a military post leaving one Pakistani soldier dead and another injured. In this previous incident, India denied crossing the line.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region in the Himalayas, is claimed by both India and Pakistan and each controls parts of it. Since gaining their independence from Britain in 1947 the countries have fought two of three wars over the region.
A ceasefire has been in place along the LOC that divides the countries since 2003, but has been violated by both sides.
hc/msh (Reuters, AFP, dpa)