Srinagar: A day after Army’s Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh visited the Indian formations and units along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir to review the ‘security situation and operational and logistic preparedness’, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and woman resident were killed in Pakistani firing and shelling the Hajipir and nearby Rampur sectors of the de-facto border on Wednesday.
The Army officials here said that the JCO whose name they withheld till his family is informed was killed in “unprovoked ceasefire violation” by the Pakistani troops. They added that the Indian troops retaliated to the Pakistani firing “strongly and befittingly”.
The officials said that the firing from across the LoC in Baramulla district started at around 11.30 am on Wednesday and continued for some time. Some of the mortar shells landed in nearby civilian areas, resulting into the injuries to two civilians, they said.
The police sources said that one of the injured civilians — a woman identified as Naseema Begum — later succumbed in a local hospital.
On Tuesday, Lt. Gen. Singh had during his visit of Kashmir reviewed the overall security situation in the Valley. Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that the Northern Command chief, accompanied by Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, visited the formations and units along the LoC where he was briefed by commanders on ground regarding the “operational and logistic preparedness”. The spokesman said, “He also urged the officers and jawans to continue with the vigil and give a befitting response to any misadventure from across.”
Meanwhile, a report from winter capital Jammu said that the Pakistan Rangers on Tuesday night fired mortars and small arms to target Border Security Force positions along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district.
Several mortar shells landed in civilian areas close to the IB’s Chandwa belt in the Hiranagar sector, triggering protests by local residents on Wednesday.
The BSF while confirming it said that its men gave a befitting reply, leading to a skirmish which continued throughout the night. No casualties were reported, however.
The police said that the people from affected village Channtanda poured out on the streets on Wednesday to chant anti-Pakistan slogans.
