* Heavy Pak shelling on LoC, IB
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 13: Four persons including two BSF jawans and two civilians were injured as Pakistan army stepped up mortar shelling and firing along Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) this afternoon drawing befitting retaliation from the Indian side.
Reports said that Pakistan army started mortar shelling and firing with automatic weapons on the LoC at Sabjian, Degwar and Kassalian in Poonch district this afternoon. Pakistan shelled civilian areas and forward posts of the troops.
Click here to watch video
Indian army retaliated effectively, leading to heavy exchanges which continued till late this evening.
Two civilians were injured when a mortar shell fell near their house at Taglo, Degwar in Poonch sector while two BSF jawans were injured in Sabjian area. All of them were evacuated from the site of firing and shifted to hospitals, where they were responding to the treatment, reports said.
Injured civilians have been identified as Mohammad Khurshid son of Mohammad Hussain and Kabir Hussain son of Mohammad Sharief, both residents of village Taglo, Degwar. Two BSF jawans injured in the shelling have been identified as Head Constable-cum-Radio Opera-tor Sandeep Jehangir and constable Ravinder Singh.
Pakistan was also reported to have suffered some casualties and damages in retaliatory firing by the Indian side but exact number of injuries or details of damages were not known immediately.
Intermittent exchange of shelling and firing continued till late this evening on the LoC.
Pakistani Rangers also opened firing on the International Border at Brahman Bela and Raipur forward villages in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor tehsil at 3 pm. Initially, the Rangers resorted to firing with semi-automatic weapons but later also lobbed mortar shells.
The BSF retaliated effectively. Intermittent exchange of shelling and firing continued till tonight.
Sources said fresh exchange of mortar shelling and firing on LoC and International Border has resulted into panic among the people living in forward areas, who were being targeted directly by Pakistan army and Rangers.
Yesterday also, Pakistan army had violated ceasefire in Nowshera sector causing injuries to a woman.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had during his just concluded visit to Jammu and Kashmir stated that the BSF has been given free hand to counter ceasefire violations and infiltration attempts by militants on the International Border.
Pakistani forces have violated the ceasefire several times in recent days, officials said. Incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have increased sharply this year.
Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to Army figures.
Meanwhile, security forces today busted an old militant hideout in Mendhar area of Poonch district, recovering a cache of arms and ammunition.
A team of Army and police personnel busted the hideout in Belni forest in Mendhar tehsil of the district, reports said.
They recovered ammunition including Chinese grenades, AK rifles, ammunition besides bottles, bags etc, they added.
After recoveries, security forces conducted searches in the villages. However, no arrests were made from the spot.
Follow our WhatsApp channel