Pak violates ceasefire, two minors and woman killed

Srinagar: A 24-year-old woman and her two minor children were killed and two other civilians injured in Pakistani mortar shelling and use of heavy calibre weapons along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Saturday.

The Army said that it retaliated to “unprovoked ceasefire violation” by the Pakistani troops “strongly and effectively”.

The Pakistani officials reported the death of two of their soldiers and two civilians and injuries to two others including a woman in the firing.

The Army and police officials in Jammu said that a woman resident Rubana Kounsar and her son Faizan (5) and nine-month-old daughter Shabnam were killed and her (Rubana’s) husband Muhammad Yunis and another civilian Parvaiz Akhter injured in the Pakistani shelling in Salotri area of Poonch.

Earlier, a woman, identified as Naseem Akhtar, was injured in the firing by Pakistani forces in nei-ghbouring Mankote area.

In-charge police post Jhullas, SI Rasheed Kasana that the woman and her two children were killed on the spot and two other persons including Yunis suffered injuries when a mortar shell fired hit their house at Salotri.

He also said that two Army soldiers including an officer of Major rank of 39 Rashtriya Rifles were also injured in the Pakistani shelling. Besid-es these two areas, shell-ing took place also in Krishnagati and Balakote areas in Poonch district.

Though the exchanges of mortar guns and weapons between the facing armies in different sectors of the LoC particularly Poonch, Rajouri and Uri have been going on for past eight days.

On Thursday, a woman was killed and an Army jawan was injured when Pakistani Army heavily shelled civilian areas and forward posts in six sectors along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts, drawing retaliation from the Indian Army. The exchanges took place also in Kamalkote area of Uri sector in Baramulla district.

A large number of private houses and other properties in these sectors have been damaged in the Pakistani shelling and firing, prompting residents to flee their homes and relocate to safer locations including makeshift accommodations provided by the government.

Muhammad Rafiq, a resident of Kamalkote who is along with dozens of families putting up in a government school in Uri town said, “Many houses in our area were damaged in the Pakistani shelling. We somehow escaped unhurt and reached here. We got food and shelter here but not sukoon (peace of mind). Please, do something about it, please resolve issues amicably. We’re victim of this cross-border frenzy since 1998.” Another resident, Khalida, demanded construction of bunkers in her area “so that we can instead of fleeing to far off places shift to these shelters when firing occurs. After all, we too are humans.”

A report from Poonch said that more than 300 people comprising 60 households left their homes in Balnoie in Mankote sector.