Woman killed in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops on border villages

JAMMU: A woman was today killed and eight other civilians were injured as Pakistani troops targeted villages and 13 border outposts with heavy mortar shelling in Kathua and Samba districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The fresh ceasefire violations have triggered migration from border villages and over 1000 people have been evacuated from hamlets in Samba and Kathua district, officials said.

The latest round of firing by Pakistan which started on New Year eve has left two persons dead, including a BSF jawan, and nine injured while five Pakistani Rangers have been killed in retaliatory firing by India. It comes barely two months after the last major escalation that left 13 people dead and displaced 32,000 border residents.

"Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked and heavy firing and mortar shelling on posts and civilian areas along IB in Samba and Kathua districts since 2130 hours last night," Inspector General of BSF Rakesh Sharma told PTI.

"BSF troops gave a befitting reply resulting in exchanges which stopped at 3 AM in the morning," the IG said, adding that Pakistan again started mortar shelling and firing targeting civilian areas since 7 AM.

He said that all BoPs in three battalion areas of Samba and Hiranagar sub-sectors in Kathua district were targeted. IG BSF has also issued an advisory to the border people for evacution.

A woman identified as Tori Devi of village Mangu Chack has been killed in the shelling and four civilians have been injured in the firing and shelling, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, Anil Magotra told PTI.

Scores of houses have suffered damage and few animals have also perished in the firing, he said.

Four persons, including two women, were injured in Nauchak village in Kathua, Deputy Commissioner Kathua Shahid Iqbal said.

The injured have been shifted to GMC hospital, he said.