Indian troops massacre 15 in Kashmir

[ehsan]

REUTERS Report:
Indian troops crossed a military control line in Kashmir region before dawn on Friday and massacred 15 people on the Pakistani side of the disputed territory, Pakistani officials have said.

But India quickly denied the charge and accused Pakistani troops of firing mortar bombs and small arms across the Line of Control (LOC).

"There has been no crossing of the LOC by us," Brigadier Randhir Sinh of the 16 Corp told Reuters in Jammu, the winter capital of India's Jammu and Kashmir state.

"Heavy firing has been going on since last night in Mendhar sector in which Pakistan troops have fired over 600 mortars and more than 30,000 small arms fire," Sinh said. Mendhar is 210 km (130 miles) north of Jammu.

Pakistani officials said the Indian troops crossed the line after midnight and attacked people asleep at Jandrood village in Kotli district, some 300 km (185 miles) south of the state capital Muzaffarabad. They said 11 people died instantly from either shooting or bayoneting.

The Indians amputated and took away the heads of two men and a woman, the officials added.

"In their latest act of stark terrorism, Indian troops infiltrated across the LOC...and brutally slaughtered...innocent civilians while they were asleep", a Pakistani statement said. "Pakistan condemns this cowardly and irresponsible act and urges the international community to take a strong notice," it added.

Tensions are running high between India and Pakistan after their hostilities in northern Kashmir last summer and ahead of a planned visit by U.S. President Bill Clinton to India and Bangladesh in March.

A Pakistan army spokesman said the injured told local officials that the attackers "were wearing Indian uniforms" when they arrived in the village in the Nakial sector under cover of heavy fire from the Indian side and killed the people.

At least 21 civilians were massacred in a village in the nearby Bhimber district in April 1998 in attack which Pakistan blamed on Indian troops.

Pakistani officials in the area of the alleged attack said villages near the LOC -- where Pakistani and Indian troops frequently exchange fire -- are usually deserted but added a few families had returned for a religious occasion.

The officials said the village was almost right on the 740-km (460-mile) LOC that divides the disputed Himalayan region between Pakistan and India.

The line was established in 1972 after the countries fought their last war.

The incident is the latest development in an already tense stand-off between Pakistan and Indian troops in Kashmir.

The nuclear-capable rivals have fought two of their three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 on Kashmir and came close to a fourth last July.

Kashmir is also expected to be on the agenda of Clinton's visit to India next month. No stop in Pakistan has been announced but the White House has left open the possibility that he might visit Islamabad.
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Yet another example of bravery by Indian "Jawans" of brutally murdering innocent people. But than what's new.

[mohabbat]

India denies Pakistan massacre charge
JAMMU, India, Feb 25 (AFP) -
The Indian army vehemently denied Friday Pakistani accusations that its troops crossed the disputed Kashmir border and massacred a dozen defenceless villagers.

"These claims are utter nonsense," said Major General P.P.S Bindra, deputy army commander in the Jammu region of southern Kashmir.

"There has been absolutely no physical movement of Indian troops into the Pakistan-controlled side," Bindra said.

"Pakistani troops fired 300 mortar rounds into our sector last night, to which we retaliated suitably. That is all."

Pakistan alleged that Indian commandos sneaked into a border village on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control (LoC) -- the de factor border dividing Kashmir -- and massacred 12 people.

"It is a blatant act of terrorism by the Indians," Inspector General of Police Sheikh Tahir Qayyum said, adding the dead included five women and four children.

"At least three people were beheaded," he said.

Pakistan said the raid took place at midnight Thursday in a small village only yards (metres) from the LoC.

India holds the southern two-thirds of Kashmir and Pakistan the northern third of the disputed territory.

The two countries have fought three wars since their independence in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.

[ehsan]

India would deny it, they had probabnly prepared the denial at the same time they prepared the scheme of going over the border and murdering innocent people, nothing new in that. The Indians would have you believe that the people of Kashmir love India as well. If you believe that, then you can believe anything.

[AbdulHameed Khan]

Originally posted by ehsan:
REUTERS Report:
Indian troops crossed a military control line in Kashmir region before dawn on Friday and massacred 15 people on the Pakistani side of the disputed territory, Pakistani officials have said.

But India quickly denied the charge and accused Pakistani troops of firing mortar bombs and small arms across the Line of Control (LOC).

"There has been no crossing of the LOC by us," Brigadier Randhir Sinh of the 16 Corp told Reuters in Jammu, the winter capital of India's Jammu and Kashmir state.

"Heavy firing has been going on since last night in Mendhar sector in which Pakistan troops have fired over 600 mortars and more than 30,000 small arms fire," Sinh said. Mendhar is 210 km (130 miles) north of Jammu.

Pakistani officials said the Indian troops crossed the line after midnight and attacked people asleep at Jandrood village in Kotli district, some 300 km (185 miles) south of the state capital Muzaffarabad. They said 11 people died instantly from either shooting or bayoneting.

The Indians amputated and took away the heads of two men and a woman, the officials added.

"In their latest act of stark terrorism, Indian troops infiltrated across the LOC...and brutally slaughtered...innocent civilians while they were asleep", a Pakistani statement said. "Pakistan condemns this cowardly and irresponsible act and urges the international community to take a strong notice," it added.

Tensions are running high between India and Pakistan after their hostilities in northern Kashmir last summer and ahead of a planned visit by U.S. President Bill Clinton to India and Bangladesh in March.

A Pakistan army spokesman said the injured told local officials that the attackers "were wearing Indian uniforms" when they arrived in the village in the Nakial sector under cover of heavy fire from the Indian side and killed the people.

At least 21 civilians were massacred in a village in the nearby Bhimber district in April 1998 in attack which Pakistan blamed on Indian troops.

Pakistani officials in the area of the alleged attack said villages near the LOC -- where Pakistani and Indian troops frequently exchange fire -- are usually deserted but added a few families had returned for a religious occasion.

The officials said the village was almost right on the 740-km (460-mile) LOC that divides the disputed Himalayan region between Pakistan and India.

The line was established in 1972 after the countries fought their last war.

The incident is the latest development in an already tense stand-off between Pakistan and Indian troops in Kashmir.

The nuclear-capable rivals have fought two of their three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 on Kashmir and came close to a fourth last July.

Kashmir is also expected to be on the agenda of Clinton's visit to India next month. No stop in Pakistan has been announced but the White House has left open the possibility that he might visit Islamabad.

This action has been taken by the frustrated Indian troops who cannot fight the Freedom Fighters in Indian Held Kashmir. They feel that they have avenged themselves. This will fan more hatred for India.