Sonia Gandhi slams Pakistan's 'blatant acts of deceit', urges govt to take action

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said India would not be cowed down by the "deceitful" killing of five of its soldiers by Pakistan along the LoC and asked the government to take "appropriate" measures. Expressing deep grief and shock over the incident in Jammu & Kashmir, she said that the entire Congress party as indeed the entire country stands by the families of the martyred soldiers. Sonia said the Indian nation could "not be cowed down" by such "blatant acts of deceit" and urged the government to take appropriate steps. Army chief Gen Bikram Singh will visit Poonch to take stock of the situation. India will take steps to uphold sanctity of LoC: Antony Making suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament on this morning's incident, defence minister AK Antony said the attack was carried out on the Indian side of the LoC. An Indian army patrol, comprising one junior commissioned officer and five other ranks, was "ambushed on our side" of the LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, he said in identical statements in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. "The ambush was carried out by approximately 20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan army uniform," he said. "In the ensuing firefight, five Indian soldiers were martryred and one soldier was injured," he said. Strongly condemning the "unprovoked incident", Antony said, "I assure the House that our Army is fully ready to take all necessary steps to uphold the sanctity of LoC." He said the government of India has lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan government through diplomatic channels. His statement came after members expressed anger over the incident and wanted to know how the government was responding to it. Antony said the number of infiltration attempts from Pakistan have doubled this year in comparison to the corresponding period of January 1 to August 5. There have also been 57 ceasefire violations this year which is 80 per cent more than the violations last year during the same period, the defence minister said. He said the Indian Army successfully eliminated 19 hardcore terrorists in July and August along the LoC and in the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir. The effective counter infiltration grid on the LoC has ensured that 17 infiltration bids were foiled this year, he said.