Kupwara: Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of the Kupwara district in north Kashmir on the intervening night of January 20-21, sources in the Army have reported.
Indian troops retaliated by firing a single shot after which things fell silent.
The skirmish took place when troops from the 6 Rashtriya Rifles were installing high-tech surveillance cameras in the Keran Bala area to bolster border security and eliminate blind spots along the LoC, Hindustan Times reported.
There was two rounds of small arms fire by the Pakistani troops, it was reported. The aim was to disrupt the installation and facilitate infiltration by terrorists. Indian troops fired a single, calibrated retaliatory shot. No casualties were reported by either side.
The Indian Army has launched a cordon and search operation in the dense forest terrain, suspecting the fire may have served as a distraction for an infiltration attempt. Though the skirmish was buried, India is not taking the matter lightly.
Security has been tightened across the sector as the Army continues to upgrade technical surveillance to monitor traditional infiltration routes during the winter months.
This is the first ceasefire breach by Pakistan since Operation Sindoor in May 2025. After the four day military conflict, India had categorically warned Pakistan against violating the ceasefire that exists along the LoC and International Border (IB).
Surveillance has revealed the existence of a number of terror launch pads across the LoC and IB. Pakistan is desperate to assist in the infiltration of terrorists into India, officials believe.
