Two civilians, including a woman, were killed while eight others were injured as Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to mortar shelling and small arms firing on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control(LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.
“Two civilians were killed, while eight others were hurt in the Pakistani shelling in the Shahpur sector”, confirmed Ramesh Angral, senior superintendent of Police(SSP), Poonch.
“Pakistan army initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in the Shahpur and Kirni sectors around 2.30 pm. The army posts retaliated strongly and effectively to shelling and firing from Pakistan army”, said, public relations officer (PRO), defence, Lt Col Devender Anand.
The civilians were injured when they were hit by splinters from mortar shells in Bandi Chechian area in Shahpur sector. Two of the villagers who suffered critical injuries died on the spot, were identified as Gulnaz Akhtar and Shoaib Ahmed.
The injured were later rushed to district hospital in Poonch, where their condition is stable.
The firing from across the border has created panic among the people living in forward areas. According to army officials, the firing was intense and was still continuing when last reports were received.
{{/usCountry}}The firing from across the border has created panic among the people living in forward areas. According to army officials, the firing was intense and was still continuing when last reports were received.
{{/usCountry}}On Sunday, Pakistan resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling. On Saturday too Pakistan shelled forward areas along the LoC in Shahpur and Qasba sectors of Poonch district, which lasted over an hour, triggering effective retaliation by India.