Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): India and Pakistan troops today exchanged a heavy fire including small arms and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.
They said that early this morning, Pakistan army violated ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked firing along LoC in Tanghdar sector which was retaliated effectively by the Indian Army.
“Today morning, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing with mortars and other weapons in the Tangdhar area. The troops responded effectively,” defence spokesman in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.
The intense shelling between the two sides triggered panic in almost a dozen villages close to Tanghdar as many residents were seen running for safety besides taking their livestock to safer places as well.
Ishfaq Ahmed, a resident of Tanghdar, told NVI over phone that people in his village woke up to intense shelling from across and the same was responded to by the Indian Army.
“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 there,” Ahmed said, adding that fear gripped among children and women as none of them ventured out of their homes.
This year, a record number of 1,640 ceasefire violations have been recorded in J&K on LoC as Pakistan has used small arms to mortal shells besides indiscriminate gunfire, as per security officials.
“Every time Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation, the Indian Army has given them a befitting reply by retaliating effectively,” a defence official said.
NVI also reported yesterday that many border residents in Kashmir are planning to move to safer places if the situation doesn’t improve in the coming days.
