Soldier killed in Pak shelling at LoC

Jammu, Aug 23 (IANS) An Indian soldier was killed on Friday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir following a ceasefire violation by Pakistan.Naik Rajib Thapa was killed in shelling by the Pakistani forces in Nowshera sector, Rajouri district.The Indian Army issued a statement that in retaliatory firing, heavy damage was inflicted upon the Pakistani Army posts which resulted in casualties of Pakistani soldiers as well.The exact number of casualties on the Pakistani side was not known.Thapa, 34, belonged to West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district."Thapa was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," said an Army official.This is the second Indian casualty this week due to unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces. On Tuesday, Naik Ravi Ranjan Singh was killed in the Krishna Ghati sector. On August 17, another soldier was killed in Nowshera sector.Till July, there had been six casualties on the Indian side due to ceasefire violations.
--IANS akd/ksk