The Border Security Force on Tuesday said Pakistan’s Border Action Team, which was involved in mutilating two Indian soldiers’ bodies near the Line of Control on Monday, comprised trained militants, ANI reported. BSF Additional Director General (Western Command) KN Choubey said the force took advantage of the simultaneous firing along the LoC and mutilated the two soldiers’ bodies in the Krishna Ghati sector.

“Army and BSF’s joint team is deployed in Krishna Ghati sector for boundary protection. When the team was going for regular line maintenance, two FDL [forward defence line] from Pakistan’s side and two ambush which they had set up started firing simultaneously,” Choubey said during a press conference. “Our jawans were engaged in this. In between this, the BAT action, which consists of regular army and Mujahideens and trained militants, took advantage and mutilated bodies of our two jawans.”

He also pointed out that the incident took place a day after Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited the frontal area. The Army is reviewing the incident to put together a revised Standard Operating Procedure to avoid a repeat in the future, Choubey said.

On Monday night, commanders of the Indian and Pakistani armies made hotline contact in the Rawalakot-Poonch sector about the killing and mutilation of the Indian soldiers, Dawn reported. The Pakistani side is believed to have conveyed the country’s stand to their Indian counterparts. Islamabad has denied the allegations of a ceasefire violation and mutilating the bodies of the two Indian soldiers who were killed in the exchange of fire.

“Indian authorities were [also] told that there is unnecessary media hype following the allegations, and that Pakistan remains fully committed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC and expects the same from the [Indian] side,” the Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement. The Pakistani commander also conveyed his hope that the Indian side would exercise prudence and refrain from taking any action that could vitiate the environment.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif had said on Monday that India was making “baseless allegations” against the country to divert attention from the Kashmir crisis and “demonise” their Army. “Indian allegations of Pakistani incursion on the LoC are baseless. It is a deplorable attempt to ignite tensions for internal political motives,” Asif said on Twitter.

Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakaria had also said that the Pakistani Army “will never disrespect a soldier”. He had denied allegations of ceasefire violation as well. “Indian blame of mutilating Indian soldiers is also false,” he had said.

The soldiers were killed in Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch near the LoC. Heavy firing was reported after two Indian forward posts at Kerni were targeted. One of the troops who died was an Indian Army soldier and the other was a Border Security Force jawan.