Pakistan pounds villages in Poonch, three injured

JAMMU: Three civilians, including two women, were injured Friday when Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and civilians areas with mortars and small arms firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, drawing strong retaliation from the Indian Army.

With Pakistan using heavy weaponry and 120 mm mortar bombs targeting civilian areas, people have been advised to stay indoors, officials said.

"At about 0830 hours, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing with small arms along the LoC in Swajian sector of Poonch," PRO defence said.

The Indian Army is effectively retaliating, he said.

Three persons, including two women, identified as Tasveer Akhtar, 19, and Shabina Akhtar, 18, of Chapprian village, were injured in the Pakistani shelling and they have been hospitalised, officials said.

A house of one Gani Mir suffered damages in Chapprian-Sawjian forward belt, they said.

As Pakistani army often targets civilian areas, people of the Chapprian-Sawjian area are demanding construction of bunkers for their safety.

We are living along the zero line near the border fencing but have no protective enclosures like bunkers, said Abdul Rashid of Chapprian village.

Two persons were injured when Pakistani troops resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in the forward area in Digwar sector of Poonch last Friday.

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