After shelling IB for 9 days, Pak turns up LoC heat now

Civilian injured in Rajouri; truce breached at Uri, Keran

JAMMU: After targeting forward posts and civilian villages along the International Border in Jammu region for past nine days-killing 12 people while injuring over 60 others, Pakistan has now turned up the heat on Line of Control, breaching the fence thrice in past 24 hours, even as an uneasy calm prevailed on the IB.

While border dwellers in Jammu continued to live in fear, Pakistani troops opened a new front this time along the LoC, resorting to heavy shelling in Lam and Nowshera sectors of Rajouri district.

A civilian was critically injured in overnight shelling which took place on Wednesday night in Lam area. Muhammad Mishri received a bullet injury. "He was shifted to a local hospital where doctors referred him to Jammu for specialised treatment," a police official said.

Around midnight, Pakistani guns moved towards north Kashmir district of Baramulla when they violated ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing, targeting civilians and military posts in Uri sector late Wednesday night, official sources said.

“Pak troops resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing targeting forward posts and civilian areas in Kamalkote, Uri late last night. The firing started at 2330 hrs, when people were going to sleep after “Taravaha” prayers and continued till 0200 hrs this morning,” sources said adding Indian troops also retaliated.

“We did not suffer any damage in the Pak shelling,” defence sources said adding the damage across the LoC was not immediately known.

Barely hours later, the Army opened fire at a group of terrorists on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district, forcing them to retreat to Pakistan, police said.

Soldiers noticed suspicious movements on the LoC in Gogledara area of Keran sector early in the morning.

"The group of infiltrating terrorists was challenged after which an encounter started. The terrorists were finally forced to retreat to the Pakistani side," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, there was a lull in firing along the International Border today after nine days of intense shelling by Pakistani troops that left 12 people dead and 60 others injured. The shelling and firing stopped yesterday afternoon along the IB.

"There was no firing and shelling from the Pakistan side today. There is a lull", a senior BSF officer told.

Five civilians including a 10-year-old boy were killed and 31 others were injured as Pakistani troops rained mortars and opened heavy fire on Indian villages and posts along the International Border (IB) and LoC in Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Rajouri districts of Jammu region yesterday.

Shelled by Pakistan troops for past nine days, the bustling Arnia border town and nearly 120 border hamlets along the Indo-Pak border now wear an empty look, with over one lakh villagers abandoning their homes to escape heavy shelling of mortar bombs.

"Over one lakh people have migrated from their hamlets and border towns in the wake of Pakistan shelling and take shelter with their kins and some of them have come to safe shelters se tup by the government", a senior officer of state government said.

Pakistan Rangers started shelling areas along the IB on May 15 and till now 11 people including 9 civilians and 2 jawans have been killed and over 60 people, including over 48 civilians, injured.

Over 200 educational institutes continue to remain closed for the 5th consecutive day along the IB in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts by authorities in the wake of tension along the Indo-Pak border due to shelling.