India protests brutal killing of BSF trooper by Pakistan

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) India has strongly protested the brutal killing of a BSF soldier by Pakistani troopers along the International Border near Jammu on Tuesday.

Sources in the security establishments said the killing of BSF trooper has been taken "very seriously" by the government.

They said India strongly raised the issue at the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks held on Tuesday.

India's protest come after the mutilated body of Border Security Force's (BSF) Head constable Narendra Singh was found hours after an unprovoked firing was started by Pakistan in Ramgarh sector of Jammu on the patrolling party which went ahead of fence for clearing elephant grass or 'Sarkanda'.

The BSF in its statement said that while such groups are routinely sent to remove wild growth to clear the view along the border, on Tuesday there was unprovoked firing from Pakistan side.

"The firing from Pakistan side was retaliated by the patrol and they tactically extricated themselves. The patrol found one of their members missing," the BSF said.

The BSF said that with the reinforcement from the company, the complete area was sanitized first and then the search started for the missing trooper.

The area between fence and International Boundary is "undulating, marshy and has thick elephant grass", growth of which made the search "difficult".

"With much effort, the body of missing trooper was found with multiple bullet injuries on his torso including neck," it said.

It said that the BSF has lodged a strong complaint with the Pakistan Rangers.