Pak troops continue shelling along LoC in J&K, Indian Army responds proportionately: Officials

Jammu/Srinagar: The Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, officials said on Thursday.

Compared to Wednesday, when the Pakistan Army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting the forward villages in J-K following missile strikes by India as part of 'Operation Sindoor', the intensity of cross-border firing was less and restricted to four sectors on Thursday, the officials said.

"On the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor sectors in J-K. The Indian Army responded proportionately," a defence spokesman said in Jammu.

The officials said there was no report of any casualties in the skirmishes.

The worst-hit Poonch sector in Jammu, which recorded 13 deaths in Wednesday's intense shelling, remained by and large peaceful at night, they said.

Hundreds of border residents have already moved to safer areas in view of the flare up.

Among the 13 persons killed in the Pakistani shelling was Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of the 5-Field Regiment.

"The GOC (general officer commanding) and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on May 7 during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch sector," the Army said in a post on X.

The Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

In view of the escalating tension, the authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in five border districts of Jammu region will remain closed for the second day on Thursday.

In a post on X, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said that all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts will remain closed for the second day on Thursday in view of the prevailing situation.

The administration in Jammu division has also set up 24x7 control rooms in all the 10 districts of the region.

Thursday's shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam attack.

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border have been very rare after India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.