JAMMU: Violating the border ceasefire five times in 24 hours, Pakistan troops on Tuesday pounded Indian military and civilian positions in 10 areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, provoking retaliation.
One jawan is reported to have suffered minor injuries in the action by Pakistani troops who violated the ceasefire on the LoC nine times over the past two days.
The Pakistani troops resorted to shelling of mortar bombs and small and automatic weapons in Jhangar, Kalsian and Makri in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district and Gigriyal, Platan, Damanu, Channi and Palanwala areas of Pallanwala sector of Jammu district and Balnoi, Krishnaghati in Poonch district.
Firing and shelling along LoC was reported from Balnoi and Krishnaghati sector in Poonch district this evening, defence and police officials said.
“Pakistan troops violated ceasefire and resorted to firing in Pallanwala sector of Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district from 1.35 PM this afternoon,” PRO Defence Col Manish Mehta said.
Earlier in the morning, Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked firing in three areas of Nowshera Rajouri district from 0515 hours on Tuesday, he said.
Pak troops targeted Jhangar, Kalsian, Makri sub-sectors of Nowshera belt. They fired mortar bombs, automatic weapons and small arms, he said.
On Monday, the Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire four times and restored to heavy firing and mortar shelling in Saujian, Shahpur-Kerni, Mandi and KG sectors in Poonch district, where 5 civilian were injured and several shops burnt down.
Civilian population was hit by Pak shelling across Nowshera sector in Rajouri district while another sector was activated by the Pak army in Krishanaghati area of Poonch in the evening.
According to reports gathered by STATE TIMES, civilian population living in the border areas affected by the Pak shelling migrated to safer locations during the day. Markets wore deserted look and even the religious places have been left unattended by the local priests to escape the fury of Pak guns.
SDM Nowshera Harbans Lal Sharma claimed firing in the area started late in the night but intense shelling was reported around 5.00 AM.
He said, “We are closely monitoring the situation so as to shift the civilians to safer places”.
Unconfirmed reports claimed that due to fresh exchange of firing in the area at around 5.00 PM more than one dozen families were relocated to safer places from Kalsian. Official sources were not available for comments.
Similarly, families staying back in Pallanwala also migrated to safer places as Pak shelling intensified late Tuesday evening.
Naseeb Singh, staying back in Pallanwala to look after the livestock and fields claimed the first firing in the area on Saturday while Pak army resorted to more intense firing on Tuesday afternoon around 2.15 PM.
He said Pak army was using long range mortars, LMG, MMG and RL fire to target the civilian areas. He claimed the Indian army was also responding to the Pak provocation using similar calibre of weapons.
Fearing fresh escalation of tension the Indian army is in a state of high alert and fully geared up to meet any exigency. The army authorities have moved their fuel reserves and ammunition reserves close to the Line of Control to tackle any kind of situation on ground zero.
The situation along the International Border in Kathua, Samba and RS Pura sectors remained peaceful even as tension prevailed in the area. The villagers have started returning to their homes in some pockets but majority of them continue to stay put in their relatives houses for fear of getting hurt in the cross fire from both the sides. The district administration had also ordered reopening of schools from Tuesday but the majority population failed to send their children to schools. PHE Minister Sham Lal Choudhary conducted tour of the border areas in Suchetgarh and urged the border residents to send their children to schools while assuring fool proof arrangements have been made by the state government to accommodate them in case of any emergency.