16 Pak. soldiers killed, 17 bunkers destroyed

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, NOV. 28. At least 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 17 bunkers destroyed when Indian troops retaliated to ``heavy and unprovoked'' firing from across the border in the Poonch sector last night.

For the second time since October 28, the Army made a strong offensive and responded to the Pakistani shelling in the Digwar, Tikri and Kalkhsa areas.

Senior Army officials told The Hindu that the ``punitive action'' was necessitated when the Pakistani troops opened fire to push militants across the border. There was no alternative but to foil these attempts, they said. The officials confirmed the Pakistani losses.

They said that when some of the Indian jawans were injured in the Pakistani mortar shelling, ``we too retaliated''. Nine high- altitude bunkers were among the 17 destroyed. Some panic-stricken families shifted to safer areas. Soon after the retaliatory action, the Pak. guns fell silent.

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