87 schools closed as mortars rain on villages near LoC; 300 civilians evacuated

Srinagar: As 82m and 120 mm mortars fired by the Pakistani troops continued to rain on villages, the authorities have ordered indefinite closure of 87 schools with an enrolment of 4,457 students falling in close proximity to the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. Some schools in neighbouring Poonch district too have been shut as a precautionary measure, reports received here said.

Earlier during the day on Saturday, two civilians identified as 51-year-old Tufail Hussain and 13-year-old Asiya Bi were killed and three others were injured in the Pakistani firing during which small arms were also used. Critically injured civilian Zaitoon Begum was shifted to Jammu’s Government Medical College Hospital for specialised treatment, officials said. In Muzaffarabad, the officials said that eight civilians including five women were injured in the Indian firing.

Rajouri’s DC Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said that more than 300 border dwellers have been evacuated and lodged in relief camps at safer locations. He said the worst affected villages include Sarya, Khamba, Bhawani, Kalsian, Mahanpur, Dhanaka, Ganya and Khori situated at zero to two kilometre range from LoC. “Overall 26 villages in Nowshera and Qila Darhal tehsils have been affected whiles nine villages in Majakote tehsil of district Rajouri also remained in the line of fire for about three hours." he said.

He said that following evacuation of the people from the vulnerable areas, three relief camps have been made operational while 28 others have been notified to cope up with fresh migration from the affected villages in case of continued shelling. He said about 120 officers and officials from various departments have been deployed to organize facilities at relief camps. “A fleet of six buses was inducted into Jhangar areas at 4 pm for evacuation of affected people and shifting them to relief camps,” he said and added that six ambulances were also pressed into action for shifting the injured besides a mobile medical unit was set up at Nowshera and another was sent to forward areas.

He said that a rescue team of district administration also came under impact of shelling ahead of Nonial which led to suspension of rescue operation for about three hours but was resumed in the afternoon.