No respite in Pak shelling along IB, LoC, civilian killed, soldier succumbs; toll 12

JAMMU: One civilian was killed Sunday evening while at least three others sustained injuries as localities along International Border and Line of Control, for the fourth consecutive day, faced heavy shelling from Pakistan in the second half of the day, after remaining relatively calmer since morning.
The heavy shelling, along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts, from the enemy country was met with strong retaliation from Indian forces while an Army jawan, injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan last night, succumbed to injuries today, thus taking the death toll in the border firing since Thursday to 12. After remaining calmer for the first half of the day, the heavy shelling from Pakistan was resumed on Sunday evening as it re-started unprovoked mortar shelling and small arms fire along the international border in Kanachak and Pargwal sectors in Jammu, besides Line of Control in Nowshera area of Rajouri district.
"Pakistan Rangers resumed (shelling) along the IB in Kanachak sector of Jammu tonight. There have been mortar shelling and it was being replied back," a BSF spokesperson said.
He also confirmed shelling in Ganjansoo, Golepattan, New Kanachak and Old Kanachak areas, besides Pargwal, saying they few mortar shells were fired from across the border. In the morning, a few rounds/shells were also fired by Rangers in Arnia area.
Two brothers- identified as Ram Dass Bawa and Gopal Dass Bawa, son of one Bansi Lal, were injured when shells hit their house in Kanachak-Pragwal sector along the IB in Jammu district. One of them, Gopal, aged 45, later succumbed to his injuries.
Even as the report was being filed, another woman suffering splinter injuries, from Kanachak was admitted in Government Medical Hospital.
In Akhnoor also, Pakistani forces resorted to firing along the Line of Control (LoC), police officials said. Troops are retaliating, they said.
Pakistan also resumed heavy shelling along LoC in Bhawani, Karali, Said, Numb and Sher Makri areas of Rajouri district this evening, DC of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.
The Indian troops were retaliating and the exchange of fire between the two sides was continuing till reports last came in.
Meanwhile, an Army jawan, injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan last night, succumbed to injuries today, the police said, adding, with this, the death toll in the border firing in Jammu and Kashmir since Thursday rose to 12.
Sepoy C K Roy, who was posted in a forward post in Mankote sector of Poonch district, was injured in Pakistani firing yesterday and succumbed to injuries at a military hospital last night, a police official said.
While a BSF jawan and a teenage girl were killed on Thursday, four persons - two civilians and one BSF jawan and an Army jawan - were killed and over 40 others, including two BSF personnel, injured in the Pakistani firing on Friday.
Three civilians and an Army jawan were killed and 16 others injured in the ceasefire violations yesterday.
With today's deaths, the toll has now reached 12.
However, there was no report of firing by Pakistan along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts since last night, BSF and police officials said.
A BSF spokesperson said firing from across the border stopped in Samba and Kathua districts in the afternoon but was going on intermittently in some areas of Jammu district.
A police official said the authorities were keeping an eye on the situation and rushed police teams to affected areas to ensure prompt assistance to the people.
The people were asked to stay indoors and not to touch any suspicious object in their area as it could an unexploded mortar shell, he said.
Firing from across the border started on Thursday and has forced thousands of people to flee their homes and take shelter in rehabilitation camps or with their relatives.