The army on Wednesday accused Pakistani troops of violating the ceasefire and triggering a mine blast on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch but later appeared to downplay the incident.

Tensions flared up in the Krishna Ghati sector along the LoC in Poonch on Tuesday following the exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops. The Indian Army, however, did not issue any official statement about the incident on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the army came out with an unusual claim of an intrusion by the Pakistan Army. Intrusions are rare along the LoC, and their public admission by the army is rarer.

Army public relations officer Lt Colonel Suneel Bartwal said in a statement that a mine blast occurred in the Krishna Ghati sector on April 1 “due to Pakistan Army intrusion across LC”.

“This was followed by unprovoked firing and ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army,” he said, adding that Indian soldiers responded “effectively in a controlled and calibrated manner”.

“The situation is under control and being closely monitored,” Bartwal said, iterating India’s commitment to upholding the tenets of the 2021 understanding reached between the directors-general of military operations of India and Pakistan “to
maintain peace”.

Later in the day, the army issued a modified statement where it said there was a mine blast on April 1 while the “Pakistani Army was patrolling along the LC”. The statement skipped mention of an intrusion. There was no word
on casualties.

“The Indian Army continues to dominate the LC. The situation is under control,” the spokesman added.

The development prompted Lieutenant General P.K. Mishra, general officer commanding of the White Knight Corps, to rush to the Rajouri sector “to assess the prevailing situation in the region”.

A spokesman said Mishra also appreciated the contribution and support of veterans in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

The reports of alleged intrusion stoked tension in Jammu, where security forces have clashed thrice with a group of militants in Kathua district in the last 10 days. The first engagement took place in Sanyal village on March 23.

A group of heavily armed militants killed four policemen in an ambush in the forests of Kathua on March 27. Security forces battled for two days to retrieve the bodies of the slain cops amid a barrage of fire by militants who took advantage of the
dangerous terrain.

A fresh gunfight broke out on Tuesday at Panjtirthi, but the militants remain elusive.

Officials said the forces have intensified search-and-cordon operations, and multiple surveillance teams had been set up to hunt
them down.

An official said the forces had launched drone-based reconnaissance and thermal imaging besides engaging sniffer dog units to comb the
dense forests.

The alleged ceasefire violation came ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir on April 7-8 to discuss the recent spurt in militant violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit the region this month to inaugurate the first train to Kashmir from Katra.