Pak violate ceasefire again, injures teenage girl, 2 soldiers in Poonch, Rajouri

Jammu: A jawan and two teenagers were injured as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts on Sunday, officials said.

The three were injured in the Shahpur sector of Poonch district in shelling from across the border which started this morning and was continuing intermittently, a police official said.

The injured civilians were identified as Shahnaz Bano (15) and Yasin Arif (14), residents of Islamabad village, the official said. Both of them were hospitalised.

A defence spokesman said Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing from small arms, automatics, and mortars around 1110 hours.

The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, he said.

In another ceasefire violation in nearby Rajouri district, six mortars fired by Pakistani forces exploded near Neaka Panjgrain and Tarkundi villages in Manjakote sector around 1540 hours, a police official said.

The Indian forces responded, triggering an exchange of fire between the two sides which was continuing when last reports were received, he said.

Fourteen persons, including eight civilians, were killed and over 70 injured in intense shelling by Pakistan along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts and LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts in January 2017.