A day after India carried out airstrikes on terror camps of the Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakot, three Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16 fighter jets violated Indian airspace in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir, but were pushed back by the Indian side. According to reports, India has shot down a Pakistani F-16 that violated Indian airspace.
“The jets entered into the Indian airspace over Nowshera sector of Rajouri district this morning,” a police official said, adding that the Indian fighter jets on air patrol immediately scrambled and pushed them back beyond the Line of Control (LoC).
Following this, all commercial operations in Leh, Pathankot, Jammu and Srinagar have been put on hold, airport authorities informed.
An Mi 17 chopper of the Indian Air Force also crashed in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly around 10.40 am. The chopper split into two, and caught fire. It reportedly crashed due to technical issues.
SSP of Budgam told ANI that an aircraft had fallen. “Technical team is here, they'll ascertain facts. We have found 2 bodies so far and have evacuated them. Search is going on here,” he said.
The flare-up in the cross-LoC shelling, which was initiated by Pakistani troops in early hours of Wednesday has also resulted in security forces and other establishments being put on a heightened alert.
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