2 civilians injured in Poonch
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Apr 12: Three persons including a child and a woman were killed and seven others injured and several houses were damaged in heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district in Pakistani shelling.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told Excelsior that three persons were killed in artillery shelling from Pakistan. He said that shells fell 30 kilometer inside the LoC in Reddi, Chowkibal and Tumna villages.
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The dead have been identified as 37-year-old woman Shamima Begum, originally a resident of Allahabad, wife of Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, 17-year old Javid Ahmad Khan son of late Ghulam Rasool Khan, both residents of Reddi Chowkibal and 8-year-old Zeehsan Bashir son of Bashir Ahmad Khatana of Tumna.
Seven civilians including two siblings were injured in the shelling. They have been identified as Ghulam Hassan Pir, 60, of Reddi who has been hit in his left arm, Farooq Ahmad Kataria, Bashir Ahmad Kataria, Lal Din Chichee, Saima, 12, and Sabiya, daughters of Siraj-ud-Din Badana and 16-year-old Imtiyaz Ahmad Khatria, all residents of Tumina.
The injured were immediately evacuated to nearby health facilities. One of them has been referred to Srinagar for treatment. Besides several houses and one car also got damaged after they caught fire.
The shelling led to panic and fear gripped several villages including Reddi, Chowkibal, Tumna and its adjoining areas.
Srinagar based Defence Ministry spokesman, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, said that Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Keran sector this evening. “Unprovoked Ceasefire Violation initiated by Pakistan in Keran Sector at 5 pm,” he said.
He added that Pakistani troops targeted civilian areas. “Pakistan now targeting civilian population in Kupwara Sector near the Line of Control resulting in the killing of three innocent civilians including one woman and a child,” the spokesman added.
The civilian killings come two days after Army damaged gun positions and ammunition dump of Pakistani troops and destroyed militant launch pads that were active in sending infiltrators into Kashmir.
An Army officer said that Pakistani troops resorted to ceasefire violations along the LoC in Keran sector today. He said that the Army gave befitting reply to the Pakistani troops and targeted Pakistani gun positions and ammunition dumps in Neelam Valley and they were destroyed.
The officer said that several militant launch pads in Neelam Valley in PoK were destroyed by firing from Bofors guns.
Meanwhile, Pakistan army today resorted to intense mortar shelling and firing on the LoC in several areas of Poonch district causing injuries to two civilians and damage to several houses.
Reports said Pakistan fired long range mortar shells and resorted to firing with heavy weaponry in Mendhar, Balakote, Digwar, Shahpur, Qasba, Kirni and other sectors of Poonch district during the day today prompting very effective retaliation from the Indian side leading to heavy exchanges.
Today was seventh consecutive day of heavy shelling from Pakistan side on the LoC in Poonch district.
Pakistan started firing small arms and mortar shells in Qasba and Kirni sectors at 1.40 pm, inviting a strong and effective retaliation by the Indian Army, sources said.
The cross-border firing was still going on in many forward villages and the Indian Army was giving befitting response to Pakistan, according to latest reports.
Several houses were damaged in forward village in Pakistan shelling. Throughout the day, people remained confined to their houses and didn’t come out in view of continued shelling and firing by the Pakistani troops who were targeting civilian areas directly.
Reports said number of cattle perished in Pakistani shelling.
There were reports that Pakistan army was trying to push trained militants into the Indian territory under the cover of shelling and firing.
Pakistan has repeatedly violated ceasefire for a week despite the challenges faced by the two countries due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Mohammad Shoukat, 28, received splinter injuries when a mortar shell exploded near his house in Qasba sector and he had to be shifted to Poonch district hospital for treatment, sources said.
A live mortar bomb, which failed to explode during heavy Pakistan shelling in Balakote sector, was destroyed by Indian Army experts.
Saleema Bi, 45, a resident of Lanjout village, received splinter injuries in the shelling. She was rescued by a joint team of Army, police personnel and health workers amid intense shelling and admitted to a hospital where she is stable now, sources said.
Balakote and Mendhar sectors witnessed heavy firing and shelling for several hours past night. Several houses were damaged in the Pakistani shelling.
Hiranagar sector along the IB in Kathua district was also rocked by a heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and India troops throughout the night.
Pakistan initiated the ceasefire violation by firing on three forward areas in Karol Matrai, Faqeera and Chandwa around 9 pm, drawing retaliation by the BSF guarding the IB. Pakistan used mortars to target the posts and villages, causing panic among the border residents who took shelter in underground bunkers.
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