Jammu, Feb 13 (IANS): Defence sources said on Thursday that the Pakistan Army suffered heavy casualties late Wednesday evening when the Indian Army retaliated to ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.

Following the unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army, high alert has been sounded on the LoC, International Border (IB) and the hinterland in Jammu. Multiple firing incidents took place in Rajouri, Poonch and Jammu districts on the LoC to prevent infiltration into J&K.

The ceasefire violation on the LoC in the Krishna Ghati sector is the first major such violation this year.

Defence sources said at least five Pakistan soldiers were killed in retaliatory firing by the Indian Army in the Tarkundi area of the Krishna Ghati sector.

Pakistan Army violated ceasefire in Krishna Ghati sector a day after two Indian Army soldiers, including a captain, were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district. It is now believed that the terrorists triggered the IED.

In the last five days, there have been firing incidents in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts. These firing incidents are said to have been the Pakistan Army’s attempts to facilitate infiltration into J&K.

On February 11, a captain and another soldier were killed in an IED explosion in the Akhnoor sector.

On February 8, a JCO sustained a minor injury when he accidentally stepped on a landmine while patrolling along the LoC while a soldier was hit by a bullet on a forward post in Rajouri’s Keri sector.

Army sources said that there are reports about the terrorists waiting to infiltrate into the Indian side of the LoC and the IB as the security forces are maintaining high vigil to thwart such attempts in the coming days. During a high-level security meeting on Wednesday, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha directed the security forces to show zero tolerance to terrorists and infiltration.