Jammu: Intensifying action, Pakistan troops on Monday violated ceasefire four times and resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing on Indian Army posts and civilian areas along LoC in Poonch district, leaving five civilians injured and several shops ablaze.
Reports said in the retaliatory action by the Indian Army, one Pakistani post Twiven 1 has been destroyed.
The firing and shelling is going on in various areas along the LoC, officials said.
Pakistan resorted to firing and shelling in Shahpur, Krishnaghati, Mandi and Sabzian sectors in Poonch district, officials said.
“Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Mandi and Sabzian sectors of Poonch district from 1345 hours today,” Defence spokesman Col Manish Mehta said.
They fired 120 mm, 80 mm mortar bombs, automatic weapons and small arms, he said, adding the exchanges are going on.
Earlier, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Poonch using small arms, automatic and mortar bombs (in Shahpur) in Poonch, the spokesman said.
A Police officer said the firing started at around 1045 hours and is going on.
Pakistan troops resorted to brief firing in Krishnaghati (KG) sector of Poonch district around 0100 hours, officials said.
In shelling, five people were injured in Shahpur Kerni and Sawjian sectors, officials said, adding the injured have been hospitalised.
The injured have been identified as Refeela Bi (18) wife of Imtiaz Hussain resident of Bhainch, Gulam Hussain (42) son of Abdulla and Shah Begum (35)wife of Gulam Hussain residents of Shahpur of Qasba and Hafiza Bi (17)daughter of Mohd Akram and Uzma (10)daughter of Mohd Rafiq both residents of Gangrian.
A Police officer said that one mortar shell landed in a security force camp in Gangrian in Saujian and it hit oil containers resulting in fire.
In the fire several shops were gutted, he said, adding there was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the fire.
On October 1, Pakistani troops had shelled Indian posts and civilian areas with mortar bombs, RPGS and HMGS amid small arms firing along LoC this sector.
There was heavy shelling of mortar bombs, RPGs and firing of Heavy Machine guns (HMGs) and small arms firing targeting forward positions along LoC in Pallanwala, Chhamb areas.
On September 30, Pakistani troops had opened fire from small arms along the LoC in Pallanwala, Chaprial and Samnam areas of Akhnoor sector of Jammu district. On September 29, Pakistan troops had resorted to firing in Balnoie area of Mendhar sector,
The Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire on September 28 by opening fire on Indian army posts along LoC in Sabzian area Poonch sector.
On September 6, Pakistani troops had fired on Army posts along the LoC in Pooch sector. Pakistani troops had also violated the ceasefire on September 2 by firing on forward army posts along the LoC in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district.
Last year, 16 civilians were killed and 71 others injured in 405 incidents of cross-border firing by Pakistan.
Meanwhile in Islamabad, the Pakistan Army claimed Indian troops resorted to “unprovoked firing” at Neza Pir sector on the LoC.
“An exchange of fire started at 11:30 am in the wake of the Indian aggression, which is still continuing,” said a statement by Pakistan Army alleging Indian forces had also opened “unprovoked” fire at Iftikharabad sector at the Line of Control.
Meanwhile, a man was injured in an explosion in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said.
Sheeraj Ahmed, a resident of Bihar, had went to an under-construction civil secretariat in Poonch town where he picked up some explosive device which went off, a police officer said.
He said Ahmed was injured in the blast and is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Four militants were killed in a gun-battle at the same