Two civilians killed, 3 injured in Pakistan shelling along LoC

JAMMU: Two civilians were killed and three injured in heavy shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control ( LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district today.

It is the third incident of ceasefire violation by Pakistan since May 10 and so far three persons have died and six have been injured.

Schools along the LoC in Rajouri were today shut for an indefinite period as a precautionary measure and steps have been taken to evacuate residents of border villages, officials said.

The Indian Army was retaliating "strongly and effectively", PRO Ministry of Defence (MoD), Jammu, Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

He said the Pakistani Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatic weapons and 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0715 hours along the LoC in Nowshera sector.

"Two persons have been killed and three others injured in the firing and shelling by Pakistani Army in Nowshera belt," Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told PTI.

People have migrated to safer places from five hamlets near the LoC which have been targeted, the DC said.

Pakistani troops are targeting Jangarh, Bhawani, Laam belts, officials said.

All schools situated along the LoC in Rajouri district were closed on May 11 for two days after a woman was killed and two others including her husband were injured in Pakistani shelling on the intervening night of May 10-11.

"We have now closed the schools along the LoC in Rajouri district for an indefinite period," Choudhary said.

Schools have also been shut along the LoC in Balakote sector in Poonch and people have been asked not to move out in border areas.

A BSF man had also suffered minor injury when Pakistani Rangers yesterday violated the ceasefire along the International Border.

An evacuation plan has been activated for shifting over 1,500 people from various border hamlets to safer places.

The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. Nine perons were killed in these incidents.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said that between April 2016 and March 2017, the maximum of 88 violations were witnessed in November 2016 followed by 78 in October 2016 and 22 in March this year.

The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November 2003.