Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Two civilians were injured in intense shelling while several residential houses were damaged in an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Hajipeer , Nambla and Rustum post sectors in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, police officials said.
Officials said that Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing small arms, mortars and other weapons this afternoon.
“A few mortar shells exploded near the residential houses injuring two civilians,” the officials said, adding that the injured civilians were identified as Ahmed Shiekh (60) and Maqbool Mangral (20). “The injured were immediately evacuated to a nearby primary health centre for first-aid and their condition was stated stable.”
Defence officials said that the Indian Army responded effectively to Pakistan’s action and a befitting response was given. There are reports pouring in that a few residential houses have also suffered damage. “Once the shelling would stop, teams will go to the spot to assess the damage,” they said.
The intense shelling between the two sides triggered panic in almost a dozen villages close to LoC in Uri as many residents were seen running for safety besides taking their livestock to the safer places.
Imtiyaz Ahmed, a resident of Uri told NVI over phone that people in his village witnessed intense shelling from across and when the same was responded by the Army, it looked a war like situation.
“We took our livestock to safety and asked the people of our village to stay indoors and take safety precautions. Since there are a very few underground bunkers, people assembled in one place and took refuge in them,” Ahmed said, adding that fear gripped children and women as none of them have ventured out of their homes since morning while the livestock was also locked in cowsheds and other places.
This year, a record number of 1,645 ceasefire violations have been recorded in J&K along the LoC where Pakistan Army has used small arms to mortal shells besides indiscriminate gunfire, as per security officials.
“Every time Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation, the Army has given them a befitting reply by retaliating effectively,” a defence official said.
NVI has recently reported that many border residents in Kashmir are planning to move to safer places if the situation doesn’t improve in the coming days.
-CHK
