JCO, civilian killed in Uri ceasefire violation by Pak troops

SRINAGAR: Barely six days after Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch Sector of Jammu division on December 19, they again breached the truce on Wednesday, killing a junior commissioned officer (JCO) and a civilian in Rampur area under Uri Sector in Kashmir division.

Though the defence spokesman based in Srinagar is yet to confirm the Uri ceasefire violation and the deaths, official sources said Pakistani troops did resort to unprovoked firing around 11.30am on Wednesday, killing a JCO and a civilian woman.

The mortar shells that Pakistani troops used landed in civilian areas, resulting in injuries to two civilians, including a woman, in Churunda village. The woman, identified as 23-year-old Naseema Jan, later succumbed to her injuries, the officials said, adding that the slain JCO was yet to be identified.


According to reports, though Pakistan Army has been resorting to ceasefire violation along the LoC and the International Border (IB) for long, number of such incidents this year till October has been much higher compared to the same period last year.

Pakistani troops had opened fire and even used mortar shells to attack the civilian population in Poonch Sector on December 10, injuring some civilians.

Similarly, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Tangdhar Sector in Kupwara district on October 20, killing two soldiers and one civilian. Three civilians were also injured in the firing while several houses were damaged by mortar shells used by Pakistani troops.

According to official figures, 2,317 ceasefire violations had taken place till October this year whereas in entire 2018, 1,629 such incidents had happened due to unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops. Interestingly, 147 infiltrators were killed by the Indian Army till October this year while the number was 254 last year.