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PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
KARGIL, JULY 8: In a major breakthrough, Indian Army troops today regained control of three peaks in Batalik and Drass and evicted Pakistani soldiers from a spur of Tiger Hill killing 92 enemy soldiers while losing 38 of its own men on a day of high casualties in the Operation Vijay which entered its second month today.
Troops of 11 Gorkha Rifles and a Bihar Regiment battalion recaptured Point 5287 and Point 4927 after fierce over night battles in Batalik sub-sector, killing 14 enemy soldiers in the two peaks, an Army spokesman told reporters in New Delhi.
Some bodies were identified as those of Pakistani regulars belonging to four, five and eight battalions of Northern Light Infantry (NLI).
The breakthrough in Batalik sub-sector has positioned Indian troops to "rapidly clear" the remaining pockets of incursion in the areas, deputy GOC of Kargil sector Brig Ashok Duggal told reporters here.
Men of a Sikh Regiment battalion evicted the enemy from the spur, emanating down from the Tiger Hill top inDrass, after an intense battle which lasted for three days leaving 17 Pakistani and 14 Indian Army men dead.
Pakistani troops, armed with reinforcements in some areas, launched counter-attacks in four positions but were effectively repulsed, the spokesman said adding this showed the enemy's bid to regain positions they had lost out.
Naga Regiment captured "North Bump" in Drass killing 15 enemy soldiers while losing 11 Armymen including Capt Prem Raj of Artillery Regiment.
Meanwhile, Indian troops hit back strongly blasting Pakistani battalion headquarters and their bunkers after the enemy resorted to heavy shelling, while three Pakistani soldiers and four Indian villagers were killed along the Line of Control in Jammu division since last night, official sources said today.
Pakistani troops commenced heavy shelling from across LoC in Sunderbani sector today forcing Indian troops to retaliate, the sources said, adding it was war-like situation in Palanwala belt along the LoC in Akhnoor sub-sector ofJammu where the enemy fired about 100 mortar shells and six missiles on civilian areas.
The Pakistani shelling destroyed a house killing two inmates and critically injuring three others, the sources said, adding 10 cattle also perished.
Although villagers had left their houses in Palanwala village and were putting up temporarily in government schools at a safe distance from shelling range, menfolk were returning every evening to feed their cattle, the sources said.
Noushera and Laam areas of Rajpur sector came under heavy enemy shelling this morning, the sources said and added the Indian troops' retaliation killed one enemy soldier and injured a junior commissioned officer opposite Laam area last night.
One woman of Deeng village in Noushera sector was killed in Pakistani shelling, the sources said and added another civilian was killed and five others injured in Pak firing in Jhangar areas of Rajouri district.
Pakistani troops shelled Mendhar, Krishna Gati, Kerni and Bhimber Gali areas of Poonchdistrict last evening.
In the heavy shelling, two houses were damaged in a forward area in Kerni and Bhimber Gali area of Poonch. One civilian was injured.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
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