Four people, including an eight-year-old boy and a woman, were killed and 30 injured in relentless firing and shelling on the International Border (IB) in Jammu by Pakistan troops for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
Ten civilians were also injured in a grenade blast in the Kashmir Valley’s Anantnag district.
“Four deaths have taken place and 30 were injured in the night-long shelling and firing from across the border at Jammu IB in Kathua to Akhnoor districts,” said Director General of Police S.P. Vaid.
The firing and shelling by the Pakistan troops started around 5 a.m. Five BSF personnel were also among the injured.
An official said the Pakistan Rangers used heavy mortar shelling in R.S. Pura, Arnia, Ramgarh, Samba and Hiranagar sectors of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
BSF hits back
“The BSF retaliated to the shelling very effectively and inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan forces across the border,” said the official.
A population of 40,000 living in the villages near the IB has been affected as Pakistani forces fired 82mm and 120mm mortar shells.
Additional deputy commissioner, Jammu, Arun Manhas said a total of 500 people were accommodated in shelter camps in R.S. Pura and Arnia in the past 24 hours. Mobile bullet-proof bunkers have been put on standby to evacuate the people.
“Around 50 mortar shells fell in Arnia town on Tuesday alone,” said a local.
End hostilities: CM
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed concern over the “distressing situation.”
“There should be immediate cessation of hostilities to safeguard the lives and properties of the hapless people caught in the deadly crossfire. It was painful to see such large-scale migration in border areas,” said Ms. Mufti.
She said India and Pakistan should employ the 2003-type ceasefire agreement “so that the hawks on both sides are silenced.”
The death toll due to Pakistan firing has climbed to 10, including two BSF personnel, in the past one week.
Over 700 ceasefire violations by Pakistan were reported this year. Thirty-nine people, including 18 security personnel, were killed due to the violations.
Ten civilians were injured when militants lobbed a grenade in Anantnag’s Bijbehara area.
