Ceasefire: Pak agrees to flag meet on Monday in Poonch

mangaloretoday.com/ CNN/IBN

New Delhi, Jan 13: Pakistan may have given way to India’s demand of holding Brigadier-level talks to discuss ceasefire violations across the border, sources said on Sunday, even as tension continued to escalate along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The flag meet will be held on Monday in Poonch district’s Chakandabad at 1 pm, sources added.

India had, on Friday, requested the Brigadier-level talks after violence escalated across the border with Pakistani troops violating ceasefire for the third time since the barbaric killing of two Indian soldiers on January 9.

 

The two neighbouring nations are witnessing one of the worst outbreaks of violence across the LoC since they agreed to ceasefire even as heavy cross-fire was reported on Saturday night after movement of a group of suspected infiltrators was detected. "There was a movement of six to seven persons close to LoC - opposite Krishagati sub-sector in Poonch sector - at around 9.45 pm," Defence Spokesman Col RK Palta said.

There was no immediate report of casualty or injury on the Indian side. Indian troops opened fire on the suspected infiltrators, the spokesman said adding that thereafter exchange of heavy fire took place. After about half-an-hour of exchange of fire, the suspected infiltrators disappeared from the scene, Col Palta said.

It is suspected that either a groups of militants or Border Action Team (BAT) could have been undertaking movement close to LoC - opposite Krishna Ghati sub-sector in Poonch on Saturday night. The eruption of exchange of fire on Saturday night broke a lull of 48 hours.

Meanwhile, martyr Lt Lance Naik Hemraj family has gone on a hunger strike demanding that the remains of his body should be handed over to it. In the Shernagar village in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, days after receiving the mutilated body of their brave son, the angry villagers are also asking the government to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.