8 civilians injured as Pak troops shell villages along LoC

Eight civilians, including a two year-old girl, were injured today when Pakistani troops shelled civilian hamlets and forward posts along the Line of Control in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

“Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 0745 hours in Bhimbher Gali sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch district,” a defence spokesman said.

The firing was still on, the official said, adding that the Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively to the provocation.

The heavy firing and mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army was intermittently targeting civilian and forward areas in Balakote, Basooni, Sandote, Manjakote areas, a police official said.

While five people, including 3 labourers, were injured in Poonch, three other civilians, including the 2 year-old girl, were injured in Manajakote in the Rajouri district, officials said. "The injured have been hospitalised," they said.

"Three vehicles and electrical equipment were also damaged in the Pakistani shelling," the reports said.

Last week, the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing in the Bhimber Gali sector along the LoC, deliberately targeting villages of Basauni and Sandot in the Balakote area resulting in injuries to two children and two teenagers.

On October 13, the Pakistan Army had violated the ceasefire in the Krishnagati sector along LoC. A day before that, an army jawan and a porter were killed and six others injured when Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to shelling on the forward areas along the LoC in the Poonch district.

The year 2017 has seen a sharp increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan.