India accuses Pakistan of ceasefire violation

Indian military alleges Pakistani troops opened fire across the Kashmir border, killing one Indian soldier.

SRINAGAR: The Indian military accused Islamabad, on Monday, of a "major ceasefire violation", alleging that Pakistani troops opened fire across the de facto border dividing Kashmir killing one Indian soldier.

"Pakistani troops opened machine gunfire and even fired rockets towards Indian forward posts in the southern Poonch sector, killing a soldier," army spokesman Biplab Nath told AFP by telephone from state winter capital Jammu.

Indian soldiers did not return fire, the spokesman said, describing the shooting late Sunday as "unprovoked".

"It was a major ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops," Nath said, adding that authorities would take up the incident with their Pakistani counterparts.

India in the past has accused the Pakistani army of providing covering fire for militants seeking to infiltrate Indian-administered Kashmir. Islamabad denies the charge.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over mainly Muslim Kashmir, held in part by each country but claimed in full by both. They agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LOC) in 2003 and launched a peace process in 2004. Since then, there have been sporadic small clashes with both sides accusing the other of violating the LOC ceasefire.

This year India has accused Pakistani troops of shooting dead an Indian border guard and two civilian porters working for the army while Pakistan has accused India of killing two of its soldiers. Militant violence has declined sharply since the start of the peace process but popular desire for an independent Kashmir remains strong and the state has been roiled by massive anti-India civilian protests. Pakistan says recent street protests, in which 111 people have died, prove that resentment is local.