By IANS,
New Delhi: India Wednesday summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Salman Bashir and lodged a strong protest over “the barbaric and inhuman mutilation” of two Indian soldiers.
“Two Indian soldiers were killed … and their bodies subjected to barbaric and inhuman mutilation,” the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
The statement was issued after Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai summoned Bashir “and lodged a strong protest” on the killings Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir.
“India has asked the Pakistan government to immediately investigate these actions (killings) that are in contravention of all norms of international conduct and ensure that these do not recur,” the statement said.
Refuting denials from Islamabad, the external affairs ministry said Pakistani troops did cross the Line of Control (LoC) at Mendhar sector and ambushed a group of patrolling Indian soldiers.
Indian officials in Jammu said that two soldiers were killed and their throats slit. A third soldier was wounded.
The Indian foreign secretary recalled that India and Pakistan met in New Delhi Dec 27 to discuss conventional confidence building measures, including maintaining the sanctity of the LoC.
The LoC divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. India holds the southern two-third of the state and Pakistan the northern third.