SRINAGAR: Police and officials on Sunday said that Pakistani troops started unprovoked firing and shelling on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and on International Border (IB) in Kathua district. Reports said that mortar shelling has damaged some structures in the villages of Poonch and Kathua but there was no official confirmation of any injuries to civilians.
Defence spokesman in Jammu said, “At about 12:30 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along LOC in Balakote sector of Poonch District. Indian Army retaliated befittingly”.
Police and officials said that in Pansar Border outpost in Hira Nagar Sector of Kathua district near the International Border, cross border shelling was going on. BSF has earlier said that shelling was started from across the border on Saturday and it continued on Sunday also.
Reports said that in twin districts of Poonch and Kathua, cross-border shelling has become very frequent in the past two weeks. According to the villagers living near the border, they were leading a miserable life as many times shells landed in their compounds and even in their houses.
Meanwhile, two teenage girls have inadvertently crossed into the Indian side in Poonch sector on Sunday morning, police said. Giving details police said that when security forces detected these two girls crossing over, they exercised complete restraint and efforts were being made for their early repatriation.