Ceasefire violation continues: Mortar shellings in several areas along IB

Srinagar: At least 2-3 Pakistani armymen are believed to have been killed on Tuesday in retaliatory firing by Indian troops in the Noushera sector of Rajouri district.

As mortars and bullets continued to rain in at several areas along the IB with Pakistan and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Jammu and Rajouri districts, six members of a family were left injured on Tuesday.

The BSF and police officials said that the Pakistani Rangers fired mortar guns and small arms to target the Indian Border Outposts and civilian areas in R.S. Pura and Noushera sectors along the IB and LoC.

A BSF spokesman said that on Tuesday afternoon, the Pakistan Rangers violated the November 2003 ceasefire agreement again by restoring to firing and shelling during which civilian population too was targeted. Heavy exchange of fire, involving use of 82 mm and 120 mm mortar shells besides small arms, was still going on in the evening after it started at around 10 am.

The BSF also said that its jawans were giving a befitting reply to the Pakistani fire and that the intermittent firing and shelling was under way as reports last came in. “We have inputs that two to three Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the retaliatory firing by our men,” said an army officer here.”