Posted on 06/22/2002 1:55:47 PM PDT by AM2000
A camel is suspected of being the cause of of a recent eight-hour shelling duel between Indian and Pakistani troops in the desert state of Rajasthan in which two people died, a report said on Saturday.
The Indian Express said the animal strayed into the Indian side from across the border with a Pakistani soldier hot in pursuit, prompting Indian border guards to give chase to the intruders.
In turn, Pakistani soldiers opened fire to protect their colleague, killing Indian border guard asssistant commandant Sumer Singh.
Indian troops retaliated, killing a Pakistani ranger.
The two armies eventually resolved the issue after a five-hour meeting.
The incident was the first exchange of fire across the Rajasthan border since the two nuclear-armed rivals massed about one million troops along their common frontiers in December after an attack on the parliament complex in New Delhi, allegedly carried out by Pakistan-based Islamic militants.
In the disputed region of Kashmir, however, soldiers have engaged in fierce artillery duels since the May 14 massacre by Islamic rebels of women and children at an Indian army camp.
The gunbattles have abated in recent days after India said fewer militant fighters were infiltrating the disputed Kashmir border.
Image © James A. Shaw
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