Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): A woman was killed and two civilians were injured in intense shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district today, police said.
A mortar shell hit the house of Akthar Begum (40), wife of Zahoor Ahmad at Batha-Gram village of Uri, killing her on the spot, they said.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Abdul Qayoom said the woman died after a mortar shell hit her house. “Two more civilians were injured in the shelling, who have been shifted to hospital,” he said. “A few residential houses and private vehicles also suffered damage in the shelling from across the LoC.”
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Rajesh Kalia said that in the morning at 8:20 am, Pakistan initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Rampur sector of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district by firing mortars and other weapons. “Befitting response is being given,” he said.
Earlier today, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling in Uri which was retaliated to effectively by the India side.
“Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked firing with the small arms and light mortars in Uri area. The troops responded effectively. The Pakistani army targeted army check posts in Hajipeer sector and other posts in Uri,” a defence official said told NVI earlier.
The firing started in the morning and continued till the afternoon, he said.
The intense shelling by Pakistani troops and retaliation by the Indian Army triggered panic in almost a dozen villages close to the LoC in Uri as many residents were seen running for safety, besides taking their livestock to safer places. Abdul Aziz Khanata, a village elder in Churunda village, told NVI over phone that people of dozens of Uri villages woke up to intense shelling from across the border.
“We took our livestock to safety and asked the people of our village to stay indoors and take safety precautions,” Khatana said, adding that the children and women were gripped by fear and none of them ventured out of their homes.
This year, a record number of 1600 ceasefire violations have been recorded in J&K on LoC where in Pakistan 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.
