JAMMU: India lodged a strong protest on Monday against the ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and made it clear to it that the Army reserves the right to retaliate at the place and time of its choosing in case heinous acts of mutilation of soldiers' bodies recur.
The Army's position was conveyed at a brigadier-level flag meeting between the two sides at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing-point in Poonch sector of Jammu region.
During the 30-minute meeting that took place in the backdrop of mounting tensions over repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan and beheading of one of the two Indian soldiers last week, the Indian representative expressed grave concern over the barbaric act by Pakistani troops in the ambush in Mendhar sector.
"Indian Army lodged a strong protest against the heinous mutilation of our deceased soldier's bodies, pointing out that it was against the tenets of the Geneva Convention as also in contravention to all established norms of soldierly behaviour.
"It was conveyed to the Pakistan delegation that such a dastardly and cowardly act is totally unacceptable and is a premeditated attempt to undermine the ceasefire agreement of 2003, which can lead to further escalation," the Indian side said.
An official release said after the meeting that it was conveyed in no uncertain terms that repetition of such acts will not be tolerated.
"The Indian Army reserves the right to retaliate at the place and time of our own choosing in case they recur," the release said echoing the Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh's statement in Delhi ahead of the flag meeting.
The Army chief had also said that the Indian side will take up with Pakistan the issue of return of the head of Lance Naik Hemraj, one of the two soldiers killed by Pakistan on January 8.
On its part, the Pakistan delegation leader denied their involvement in the incident and any ceasefire violation by their troops.
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India lodges strong protest against Pak actions