Ajay Banerjee 
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 4

The Indian Army has offered the Pakistani Army to take over the dead bodies of its troops that are lying inside the Indian territory near Keran in north Kashmir.

The Pakistani Army has been offered to approach with a white flag and take over the dead bodies for last rites.

The Army had foiled an attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) on a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday, killing five to seven intruders. The BAT generally comprises special forces personnel of the Pakistani Army and terrorists.

The bodies are lying close to the Line of Control (LoC).

Defence sources said the bodies may possibly be of Pakistan’s SSG commandoes.

On Friday, Chinar Corps Commander Lt General K J S Dhillon had said according to available intelligence reports, all the launchpads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir are full and infiltrators attempting to enter Kashmir.

This year, despite Balakot airstrikes, the infiltration has not stopped from across. Sources said over 30 militants managed to sneak into J&K till May-end.

A senior Army official said Pakistan has desperately attempted to push terrorists belonging to JeM and other outfits into Jammu and Kashmir over the last few days. “The response by security forces vindicates the build-up in the hinterland,” he said.

The Pakistan Army has, meanwhile, denied the Indian claim about action by Pakistani army regulars and militants across the Line of Control and that their bodies were lying on the Indian side.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Saturday night denied the Indian claim as “mere propaganda” and said India was “trying to divert attention of the world form the situation of Kashmir.”

Similarly, the Foreign Office also issued a statement at about mid-night to reject the claims by India.

“We reject Indian allegations of cross-LoC action by Pakistan and possession of bodies,” FO said. — With PTI inputs