Three of a family killed in Pakistan shelling along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir

In fresh escalation of tension along the Line of Control (LoC), a husband-wife duo and their teenage son were killed when Pakistani army shelled forward posts and civilian areas in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday night.

A defence spokesperson said at around 9:20 pm on Friday, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and resorting to shelling of mortars along the LoC in Gulpur sector of Poonch.

Officials said Pakistan army also heavily shelled Khari Karmara village along the LoC and one of the 120 mm mortar shell hit a residential house in the village killing a husband and wife, and their 15-year-old son.

The slain were identified as Mohammad Rafiq (52) his wife Rafiq Bi (50) and their teenage son Irfan Ahmad. Another family member also got injured in the incident, who was evacuated to the hospital amid heavy shelling in the area, they said.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Poonch, Rahul Yadav confirmed that three persons died and another one was injured in the cross-border shelling.

A few days back, two women were killed in Pakistan shelling in Mendhar sector of Poonch, taking civilian casualties this month in the border district to five.
Sources said that the Pakistan army also tried to push a group of three to four armed infiltrators into the Indian territory under the cover of firing and shelling but their plot was foiled with timely retaliation by the Indian army. The infiltrators reportedly escaped back from the LoC without trying to make any attempt to enter into this side finding the troops alert.

Pakistan army has been regularly resorting to ceasefire violations and aiding and abetting infiltration attempts by the militants along the LoC. A number of infiltration attempts have been thwarted by the army along the LoC leading to the killing of several infiltrating militants in recent weeks.