After cross-LoC bus, trade too suspended
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 18: Two Army jawans were martyred in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district and Nowgam sector of Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir today as Indo-Pak troops exchanged mortar shelling and firing along Line of Control (LoC) in several sectors with Indian troops inflicting heavy damages on Pakistan side in retaliation. Three Army jawans and equal number of civilians were injured in the shelling.
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Meanwhile, unable to match the might of Indian Army, Pakistani troops trained their guns on hapless students and teachers targeting Government schools directly with mortar shells and firing along Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district during the day today, keeping 261 children and staff of the schools confined inside the school buildings. Students and staff had very narrow escape as one of the mortar shell exploded on roof of the institution.
Pakistan tonight claimed that its two civilians were killed and six injured in Samahni sector on LoC opposite Rajouri.
Frustrated after suffering heavy losses, both in terms of casualties and damage of infrastructure, Pakistan army pounded civilian areas of Nowshera sector and aimed school buildings starting from 1.50 pm, an hour before closure of schools for the day, leading to panic among the students, staff and their family members at home as mortars were landing close to two school buildings.
After cross-LoC bus, the trade between two parts of the divided State (J&K and PoK), was also suspended today on Poonch-Rawlakote route for this week in view of tensions on LoC due to heavy exchange of shelling between Indo-Pak troops. Shelling also took place in the morning at Mendhar, Balakote and Sabjian sectors of Poonch district.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari told the Excelsior that by late this evening, all students and staff members from three Government schools, where they remained confined for three to four hours, totaling 261 including 217 students, were rescued in bullet-proof mobile bunkers and buses by Army, police and civil administration amidst shelling and firing.
“All students and staff members were safely brought to a camp in Nowshera town,” he said, adding that the students and staff members have been lodged safely in a camp.
Official sources said 65 students and eight teachers were trapped in Government High School Sehar in Nowshera sector as Pakistani troops started pounding civilian areas. One of the mortar shells exploded at roof of the school, causing extensive damage to the building but students and staff members had very narrow escape. Twelve students and one teacher were stranded inside Government Primary School Kadali, who were rescued within an hour.
Though Government Higher Secondary School, Bhawani, where 150 students and around 25 teachers were present, didn’t come under direct shelling, the students and staff members were held up as their native villages were being pounded by the Pakistani troops.
Civil and police teams comprising DC Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, SSP Yougal Manhas, SDM Nowshera, Harbans Lal, Additional SP Atul Sharma among others visited the schools amidst shelling and firing and rescued students and teachers in bullet-proof bunkers and buses and brought them to Nowshera town.
“The rescue operation was complete at around 6 pm,” sources said.
In view of Pakistan army’s direct attack on civilian areas including schools, the district administration of Rajouri has ordered closure of all Government and private schools in Nowshera and Manjakote sectors for an indefinite period. Similarly, the district administration of Poonch has ordered closure of schools in Balakote Zone, Sabjian in Mandi Zone, Margaimar, Qasba, Pawan and Pathana in Nangli zone, falling within two kilometer radius along LoC in Poonch district till further order.
Meanwhile, an Army jawan attained martyrdom in Kalsian area of Nowshera sector this afternoon.
Sources said Sepoy Jaspreet Singh was grievously injured in mortar shelling and later succumbed to his injuries. Jaspreet, 24, belonged to village Talwandi Naliyan in Dharamkote area of Moga district in Punjab and is survived by his parents.
“Sepoy Jaspreet Singh was a brave and sincere soldier. He loved his job to the core. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” a Defence spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on the forward positions along the LoC in Naugam sector, killing the Indian soldier, an Army official said.
He said troops guarding the LoC fired in retaliation to silence the Pakistani guns and an exchange of firing between the two sides continued for some time.
Another Army jawan, Navjot Singh was injured at Sabra Gali in Mendhar sector of Poonch district in Pakistan shelling.
Two more Army jawans were injured at Baba Khori in Nowshera sector.
A civilian Mulkh Raj son of Birbal R/o Gania, Nowshera was also injured in the shelling. He was evacuated from the site of shelling and admitted in the hospital. Another civilian identified as Sanjeev Kumar S/o Subash Chander R/o Gania was injured in the shelling in Nowshera sector. A woman Santosh Sharma W/o Madan Lal R/o Bhawani was also injured. All the injured have been hospitalised.
They added that no fresh migration has been reported from Nowshera. However, the people, who had already migrated from the forward villages, were still camping in the camps.
Sources said Baba Khori, Shah Lakh Peer, Bhawani, Mangla Mata, Bhawani, Numb, Kalsian, Sehar and Kadli villages in Nowshera sector bore brunt of the Pakistani shelling, confining the people indoors and the bunkers.
Earlier in the morning, Pakistan Army targeted forward villages of Balakote, Mendhar and Sabjian sector in Poonch district around 6.40 am promoting the Indian side to give effective response, which led to heavy exchanges that continued till late in the afternoon.
Civilians travelling in a Maruti Van No. 1319 JK12 A and Tata Sumo No. 3333 JK12 had narrow escape at Khanetar, Basooni and Dharati, Balakote respectively as they were hit by mortar shells and firing. However, the people had boarded off the vehicles before they were targeted.
In Balakote and Mendhar sectors also, Pakistan army pounded civilian locations directly till this afternoon. Several mortar shells landed closed to houses of the people, causing damage to the structures.
Reports said that some cattle were killed in Nowshera sector while many houses were damaged. Exact quantum of the damage would be ascertained once the teams of officers visit the spot after restoration or some normalcy as situation was very tense in all forward villages of Nowshera with people stranded in their houses for hours together, unable to come out due to continuous shelling and firing.
It was around 8 pm that shelling stopped in Nowshera sector but intermittent firing continued.
Reports said that some houses suffered damages at Balakote, Barhuti, Balakote Forward, Panjni, Sandhot, Dhar Galoon and Sabra Gali areas of Balakote and Mendhar sectors. Shells even landed inside houses of the people while parked vehicles were also hit.
“It would have been a major catastrophe had the mortar shell hit Maruti Van five minutes back as four to five civilians were sitting in it. However, the shell hit the Van when the civilians had boarded off,” sources said.
Meanwhile, cross-LoC trade which takes place on Poonch-Rawlakote route between traders of Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir every Tuesday to Friday was suspended for second consecutive week in view of tensions on LoC and heavy exchange of shelling and firing.
Yesterday, cross-LoC bus on Poonch-Rawlakote route was suspended for second consecutive week, leaving 55 citizens of PoK stranded on this side.
The cross-LoC bus and trade have been suspended due to continuous shelling.
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