Jawan, 3 civilians killed, 16 injured in Pak shelling

PTI, JAMMU: An Army jawan was among four killed while eighteen others were injured as Pakistani troops shelled border outposts and civilian areas along the international border (IB) and LoC in the Jammu region for the third consecutive day today. The ceasefire violations triggered migration of over 35,000 people from their border hamlets as the authorities sounded a red alert and asked people to move to safer areas. Over 300 educational institutes along the IB and LoC in the Jammu region have been closed for the next three days by the administration in the wake of increased tension due to the shelling.

As many as 10 persons, including 6 civilians and 4 jawans, were killed and nearly 60 including some jawans were injured in the shelling during the past two days. Yesterday, two civilians and two jawans were killed and 35 others, including three jawans, injured in heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan troops on civilian areas and outposts along the IB and LoC in Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Rajouri

districts of Jammu and Kashmir. On Wednesday also a BSF jawan and a teenaged girl were killed and 8 others injured in Samba and Jammu districts. 

"Pakistan resorted to unprovoked shelling in Gajansoo area of Kanachak sector in Jammu this afternoon and shells fell in the Gajansoo bus stand in which two persons were injured," a police officer said.

He added they were shifted to a hospital and one of them, 25 year old Tarseem, died later. Pakistan rangers also shelled forward hamlets in R S Pura, they said adding that two civilians - 17-year-old  Gaura Ram of Kapur R S Pura and 45-year-old Gour Singh of Abdullian – were killed and five others injured. 

Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms and automatics and mortar bombs in Krishnagati sector along LoC in Poonch around 0820 hours, a defence spokesman said adding that the Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. In the exchanges, Sepoy Mandeep Singh was injured and later succumbed to his injuries, he said. The 23-year-old belonged to Alampur village of Sangrur district in Punjab and is survived by his father Gurnaam Singh.

Pakistan rangers resorted to heavy unprovoked shelling targeting villages along IB near Chenab river (Akhnoor) to R S Pura throughout the night. The shelling was still on when reports came this morning, a BSF officer said. Pakistan forces have been directly targeting civilian villages to cause death and destructions, he said adding that the BSF was giving them a befitting reply.

One BSF jawan was injured in Pargwal sector, he said adding two persons were injured in Kanachak. Pakistan rangers continued firing and shelling along IB in Arnia, Ramgarh, Samba and Hiranagar sectors till 5 AM this morning, police officers said. While firing and shelling ended in Hiranagar, Samba and Arnia around 1.30 AM today, it continued in Ramgarh sector till 5.30 AM.

Over 35,000 people living along the IB migrated to safer places and most of them have been camping in houses of their relatives, they said. Over a thousand people are housed in camps in R S Pura,

Samba and Kathua areas, they said. Authorities have closed nearly 300 schools and other educational institutions along IB and LoC in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch for next three days in wake of exchange of shelling and firing.