Shells land close to revered Ziarat
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 1: Two persons, including a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan and a civilian were injured as Pakistani army and Rangers continued ceasefire violations by targeting forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts, leading to panic among the border dwellers. Army retaliated Pakistan shelling and firing at all the place causing heavy damages across the LoC.
The mortar shelling and small arms firing from across the border was intense in Shahpur, Kirni, Qasba and Balakote sectors along the LoC in Poonch district, where a number of shells also fell in the close vicinity of revered shrine of famous Sufi Saint Sain Baba Miran Bakash, reports said, adding that many civilians had narrow escape in the shelling as several mortars fell in the populated areas.
However, late in the evening, one civilian sustained injury in the shelling as mortar shell exploded near his house. The injured has been identified as Mohammad Bashir, 52, son of Mohammad Hussain, a resident of village Gountrian. He sustained serious injuries in his legs and knee and was evacuated from the village by security forces and locals amidst continued shelling and admitted in the District Hospital Poonch.
Sources said panic gripped the border residents as mortar shelling continued throughout the day after Pakistan initiated the ceasefire violation early in the morning. The sounds of the explosions were also heard in Poonch town.
“Today at about 0745 hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in Shahpur and Kirni sectors followed by Balakote sector. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly at all the places,” a Defence spokesman said.
He said the shelling stopped in the two sectors around 1.20 pm, only to restart at 3.50 pm and spreading to nearby Qasba sector as well.
Pakistani shells also landed in the close vicinity of the revered shrine of Baba Miran Bakash at Gountrian village, causing panic among the devotees.
However, the devotees and the shrine are safe, they said, adding the heavy cross-border firing was going on when last reports were received.
Six persons were injured in the shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch on Sunday.
BSF Constable Abishek Roy received splinter injuries when a mortar shell exploded near his post at Manyari in Hiranagar sector along the IB in Kathua district late last night, the officials said.
They said the Pakistani army opened fire and lobbed shells in the sector at 8.15 pm, prompting an effective retaliation by the BSF personnel guarding the IB.
The exchange of fire between the two sides continued till 3.25 am today, the officials said, adding the jawan, who was injured around 11.35 pm, was shifted to the Government Medical College here for specialized treatment and his condition is stated to be “stable”.
According to officials, Pakistan violated the ceasefire over 2,000 times along the LoC this year, leaving 21 people dead and scores of others injured.
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