Pak shells villages, BOPs in Jammu, 8 civilians injured

Eight civilians, including two children, were injured in heavy mortar shelling that was resumed this evening by Pakistani troops along International Border (IB) in Jammu frontier, which had witnessed night-long exchange of fire with Indian security forces.

In stepped up ceasefire violations, Pakistani troops pounded Border Out Posts (BOPs) and civilian hamlets with 82mm mortar bombs along the IB in Kanachak and Akhnoor areas of Jammu district at 1845 hours today, a police officer said.

In the shelling and firing, the eight civilians suffered injuries due to splinters of mortar bombs which landed and exploded in several houses in the border villages of Lalyal camp and other hamlets in Kanachak, he said.

Some of the injured were identified as Bina Devi, Kamlesh Kumari, Isha Dutta besides a 8-month-old child.

The injured were evacuated to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here for treatment, he said.

BSF troops of 68 battalion guarding the borderline with Pakistan took positions and retaliated strongly, triggering heavy exchanges which were still underway when the last report came in from the area tonight, he said.

Earlier, there was shelling of mortar bombs, rockets and firing by automatic weapons on BoPs in Nikki Tawi areas of Jammu district and Ramgarh belts of Samba district since last night, BSF officials said.

The Pakistani troops fired 82 mm mortar shells and also rockets, apart from Light Machine Guns (LGMs) in civilian areas as well.

BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated, resulting in heavy exchanges, which continued till 0230 hours today, officials said.

There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the overnight shelling and firing, they said.

Due to shelling, panic-stricken villagers have fled their homes to safety.

Pakistani troops yesterday heavily shelled 50 border outposts in Jammu frontier killing a BSF jawan in what is stated to be the most serious ceasefire violation since 2003 that prompted Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to declare that a "fitting reply" would be given.