LOC-PROTEST ZCZC URG GEN NAT . JAMMU DEL42 LOC-PROTEST India lodges protests with Pak for cross-border firing

Jammu: India today lodged a strong protest with Pakistan army authorities for ceasefire violations resulting in cross-border firing at Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have lodged a strong protest with Pak authorities over yesterday's firing of rockets on an Indian position in Brachar forward area of Swajian sub-sector in Poonch district," a top defence official told PTI.

Company commanders of two the armies held a meeting at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point along the LoC in Poonch district this morning where the Indian commanders lodged a strong protest to their Pak counterparts, defence sources said.

India provided Pak commanders with evidence of the rocket firing after they made a demand, the sources said.

Authorities of both the sides have activated a hotline in this sector and India conveyed strong-worded protest to the other side, they said adding that the Pakistani side agreed to investigate yesterday's incident.

Two rockets fired from a Rocket-Propelled Gun from Pakistan s NPP post, missed its intended target of a forward post and landed at Brachar in Swajian sector in this border district around 2.20 pm yesterday and exploded, according to the sources. The explosions caused panic among the villagers, they added.

There was no casualty in the incident.

Since January this year, Pakistani troops have violated the five-year-old ceasefire agreement 22 times and have provoked reactions from Indian troops, though the latter have refused to retaliate on most occasions.
Source : PTI