Everything will be fine soon:PM
JAMMU: Heavy mortar shelling and firing by Pakistani troops continued unabated along the International Border(IB) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday killing two more people –both women–even as a “massive” reply was being given from the Indian side.
With the government coming under attack from the opposition parties over its handling of the string of ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which continued tonight, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “everything will be fine soon” on the border.
The death toll in the firing after escalation of ceasefire violations by Pakistan for over a week rose to eight with the killing of a woman identified as Shukuntla Devi and her daughter-in-law Poli Devi. Fifteen more people have been injured in the firing taking to 75 the number of injured so far, officials said.
Government also said that India will continue to respond to Pakistan on the ceasefire violations according to the situation along the border and there won’t be any flag meetings.
The Pakistani rangers overnight targeted 50 Border Out Posts (BoPs) and 35 border hamlets with mortar bombs and heavy firing that led to migration of 17,000 people from border hamlets to safe places and relief camps.
There were three fresh violations of ceasefire in the night when Pakistani forces resorted to mortar shelling and firing in the sub sectors of Kanachak and Pargwal in Jammu district and Hiranagar in Kathua District along the IB.
Guns, however, fell silent along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts after the Indian forces gave a “befitting reply”, officials said.
Pakistani Rangers targeted Chillary village along IB in Samba district and resorted to heavy shelling around 7:30 AM on Wednesday leading to the killing of two women, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, Anil Mangotra told PTI.
One of them died on the spot and another succumbed to injuries at GMC hospital.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed the state administration to take all requisite measures for ensuring safety of life of the people in areas hit by border shelling.
Top Union government sources said India is giving a “massive” reply to the “totally unprovoked” shelling by Pakistan and will continue to do so unless the other side stops.
The sources also said India will not give in to “coercive diplomacy” by Pakistan and will respond strongly to Pakistani shelling.
The sources cited media reports in Pakistan to say that 35 people have been killed in the last two days on that side — 20 yesterday and 15 the previous day.
The sources, however, noted that there was no independent confirmation of this casualty figures.
Meanwhile, giving details, the BSF spokesman said almost all the BSF posts in Samba, Hiranagar belt of Kathua district and RS Pura were targeted by Pak Rangers. The continuous firing which started at 9:30 PM has been on in the 21 villages of Kathua sector with Maniyari post facing the heaviest firing from across the border.
Similarly the continuous firing with heavy weapons started in RS Pura sector at 9:20 PM. Till receipt of last report no loss of life was reported.
