Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): A woman was killed and another one seriously injured in ceasefire violation (CFV) by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said today.
Police official said that Resham Bi, wife of Azam Ahmed and Hakam Bi, both above 60 years of age, got injured at around 3am when Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling along LoC in Balakote sector of Poonch.
“Both the injured were shifted to nearby medical facilities where Resham Bi was declared brought dead by the doctors,” the official said.
The second injured woman was provided first aid in a local hospital and was then shifted to Rajouri hospital for advanced treatment. Heavy exchange of fire from the both sides was going on till 9 am.
Locals of Poonch said that panic gripped entire Balakote sector and adjoining villages as mortar shells landed in civilian areas and some even fell in the premises. “We are fed up with this daily fear and frequent shelling between the two sides. We are not safe even in our own houses,” said Imtiyaz Ahmed, a resident of Poonch district. “Our demand for setting up community bunkers is also not being fulfilled.”
This year so far, 1,700 CFVs have been recorded in J&K along the LoC. The figure is highest in the past three years, as per the officials.
NVI was first to report that many border residents in Kashmir’s Uri, Gurez, Keran and Tanghdhar sectors were planning to shift their base to safer places due to the frequent CFVs by Pakistan followed by heavy exchange of firing between the two sides.
-CHK
