Indian border guard killed in exchange of fire with Pakistani counterparts

A border guard of India's Border Security Force (BSF) was killed in an exchange of fire with Pakistani counterparts on Line of Control ( LoC) dividing Kashmir, officials said Monday.

The exchange of fire between the two sides was reported from Leepa Valley of Nowgam sector in frontier Kupwara district, about 125 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir.

"A border guard was killed in firing from Pakistan side on LoC in Leepa Valley of Nowgam sector last evening," an official told Xinhua. "Indian troops also retaliated to firing from Pakistan Rangers."

According to officials, the exchange continued for several hours.

Reports quoting Indian military officials said the firing was aimed at providing cover to infiltrators to the region.

On Friday police said three infiltrators and an Indian military trooper were killed in Uri sector of Baramulla district.

Meanwhile, an exchange of heavy fire and artillery between the border guards of India and Pakistan broke out Monday along International Border (IB) in Arnia area of R S Pura sector of Jammu district, about 322 km south of Srinagar.

"The Pakistani firing which started Sunday evening targeting three forward BSF posts Pital, Mukesh and Pindi along the International Border continued intermittently up to 5:15 a.m ( local time) today," an official said. "The BSF men posted in the area retaliated to the firing, however no causality or damage was reported on our side."

The heavy exchange has created panic among the border residents in the area.Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply to the other side.

Earlier this year, deadly exchanges between troops of the two countries triggered migrations of civilians from frontier areas.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on 720 km-long LoC and 198-km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect. Indian officials said 564 cease-fire violations - 411 along IB and 153 violations along LoC - were recorded last year.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC on both sides is heavily guarded by military, while IB is guarded by BSF on Indian side and Pakistan Rangers on the other side.