At least 2-3 Pakistani armymen are believed to have been killed in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops in the Noushera sector of Rajouri district while six female members of a family were injured in RS Pura sector of Jammu district in cross-border shelling on Tuesday.
Heavy exchange of fire, involving use of 82 mm and 120 mm mortar shells besides small arms, was still going on in the evening on Tuesday after it started at around 10 am.
Six female members of a family were injured as Pakistani troops continued to pound Indian civilian areas in RS Pura and Noushera sectors along the International Border and Line of Control with mortars and small arms fire.
Pakistan Rangers resorted to ceasefire violations by targeting civilian population in RS Pura sector in Jammu district this (Tuesday) afternoon, a Border Security Force spokesman said.
“Several rounds of small arms and mortar shells were fired from the Pakistani side targeting our villages in the RS Pura sector,” the spokesman said.
He said the BSF was giving a befitting reply to the Pakistani fire and the intermittent firefight was going on.
“We have inputs that two to three Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the retaliatory firing by our men,” another army official said.
“The firing is still going on and our side is giving a befitting reply,” he said, adding there is no loss of life or injury on our side.
“Six members of a family were injured due to splinters after a mortar shell fired by Pakistan Rangers exploded in their house in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura in Jammu district,” Deputy Commissioner (Jammu) Simrandeep Singh said.
“They are being given first aid at R S Pura hospital after which they will be shifted to Government Medical College hospital in Jammu shortly,” he added.
Pakistani troops also violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Noushera sector.
“From 10 am, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in Noushera sector of Rajouri district by targeting our positions with mortar bombs and small arms fire,” an army officer said.
The Indian army gave a ‘befitting response’ to the ceasefire violation from the Pakistani side, he added.
In the wake of the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan on the LoC and heavy shelling in residential areas along the IB, the concerned authorities have ordered the closure of all schools in Rajouri district as a precautionary measure.
This decision has been taken to ensure the safety and security of students.
Mohammad Ajmal, a teacher said, “Day before yesterday the students were studying and suddenly from Pakistan’s side firing came. They were running here and there because of firing. There were 18-20 kids near the border. I ran and took the students and kept two or three of them in the houses. I took them home. The mortar fell at a distance of 10-15 meters from the school.”
“The children are very scared to leave their homes. Their parents are afraid to send their kids as the firing can happen anytime,” he added.
There have been over 40 ceasefire violations from the Pakistani side since the Indian side carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir targeting terror launching pads, post the attack on an army camp in Uri on September 18.
A six-year-old boy and a BSF jawan were killed and 10 people including 8 civilians were injured in the shelling on Monday when Pakistan Rangers targeted over 25 border outposts in the border hamlets along International Border.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday summoned India’s deputy high commissioner and lodged a strong protest against ‘ceasefire violations’ along the Working Boundary, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said.
Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh was summoned by the director general (South Asia and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).
‘A strong protest was lodged against the unprovoked ceasefire violations on October 23-24 by Indian forces at the Working Boundary in Phuklian and Chaprar Sectors in which two civilians, including a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, were killed and six others were injured,’ Foreign Office said in a statement.
‘It was conveyed to the Indian side that it should investigate the incident and share the findings with Pakistan, instruct its troops to respect the Ceasefire in letter and spirit, refrain from intentionally targeting the villages and maintain peace on the Working Boundary,’ the statement said.
Pakistan has also lodged a protest with the United Nations Military Observers group in India and Pakistan over the killing of two civilians in 'unprovoked' firing across the Working Boundary, Dawn reported.
‘India resorted to unprovoked firing across the Line of Control and the Working Boundary in the Bhimber and Chaprar sectors respectively today,’ Inter-Services Public Relations said.
‘The exchange of fire was ongoing,’ the statement added.
IMAGES: A woman and a chiled injured by cross border firing at Suchetgarh are shifted to the Government Medical Hospital in Jammu on Tuesday. Photographs: PTI Photo
With inputs from ANI.
