Indian, Pakistani Troops Clash Overnight: Gun Battle Erupts Along LoC In Keran, Says Reports

Keran: An exchange of shots broke out between the Indian and Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir's Keran sector during the night of January 20-21, media reports said on Wednesday.

How did the incident occurred?

According to reports, the brief flare-up occurred when the Indian troops from the 6 Rashtriya Rifles were installing high-tech surveillance cameras in the Keran Bala area to bolster border security and eliminate blind spots along the Line of Control. 

As the work was underway, to disrupt the installation, the Pakistani soldiers reportedly fired two rounds of small arms towards the Indian side.

How did the Indian forces respond?

Indian soldiers replied with a controlled shot after the initial firing, reports said.

The response was aimed at deterring further firing rather than escalating the clash. Both armies then fell quiet, and no casualties were reported by either side by Wednesday afternoon. 

What now?

The Indian Army has tightened their presence in the dense forested terrain around Keran, a forward sector in Kupwara district that sees regular patrols and monitoring activities in winter months. 

Army units launched a cordon and search on Wednesday to ensure there were no attempts to exploit the situation for infiltration.

Further details awaited.