The Indian Army has reportedly killed seven Pakistani soldiers and destroyed two bunkers along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan, just hours after it emerged that the Pakistani Army had mutilated the bodies of two Indian soldiers who were killed in a ceasefire violation on Monday, May 1.
Aptly, the two bunkers that were said to have been destroyed in the Kirpan and Pimple posts on the Pakistani side, exactly opposite of the Krishna Ghati sector where the ceasefire violation had taken place a day ago. Several Pakistani soldiers of the 647 Mujahideen battalion were present at one or both of these bunkers. Of them, seven lost their lives in the retaliation from India.
The action came amid social media — in a reflection of the mood of entire India — called for revenge with the hashtag #BadlaLo: Take revenge. As news spread of the Indian Army action, it was hailed as another surgical strike by many, even though there has been no official word on it so far.
The Indian Army action is expected to shut up those who had been claiming that the Indian government rarely replies to attacks from neighbouring Pakistan in kind. This is at least the second time when such a reply has been given to Pakistan, the previous being the surgical strike India had conducted along the LoC in September last year, killing at least 35 militants and demolishing several terror hideouts and shelters.
'Reprehensible and inhumane act'
The Indian Army, in a statement released on Monday regarding the aforementioned ceasefire violation, had said: "In an unsoldierly act by the Pak Army, the bodies of two of our soldiers were mutilated. Such despicable act of Pakistan Army will be appropriately responded. [sic]" The killing of the Pakistani soldiers and the destruction of the bunkers seems to be part of that response.
Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, who had taken over the portfolio from Manohar Parrikar, had said about the Pakistani Army's actions: "This is a reprehensible and inhumane act. Such attacks don't even take place during war, let alone peace."
He had also said: "Bodies of soldiers being mutilated is an extreme form of barbaric act. The government of India strongly condemns this act. The country has full confidence and faith in the armed forces, which will react appropriately. The sacrifice of these two soldiers won't go in vain."
