Woman killed, jawan injured as Pak shells 6 sectors in Poonch, Rajouri

 Jammu: A woman was killed and a jawan injured as the Pakistani army shelled civilian areas and forward posts in six sectors along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts on Thursday, drawing heavy retaliation from the Indian forces, an official said.

This is the seventh consecutive day that Pakistan has targeted forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC). "The Pakistan army continuously resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC at about 1500 hours with heavy mortar shelling and small arms fire in Sunderbani, Mankote, Khari Karmara, Degwar Sectors in J&K," a defence spokesperson said.

The firing had started around 6 am, he added. "At about 1415 hours, Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the LoC at Nowshera sector in Rajouri," the official said.

Read: Ceasefire violation, firing across Line of Control again on Thursday

There was another round of firing from across the border around 1 pm along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector, he said, adding, "The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively."

In the Chajjala area of Mendhar, one woman died after sustaining critical injuries from a mortar shell, officials said. An army jawan was injured in the shelling and was undergoing treatment, they added. Earlier at about 6 am, the Pakistan army had resorted to shelling and small arms fire in the Krishna Ghati sector, the spokesperson said.

In view of the prevailing situation, authorities have ordered a temporary closure of educational institutions located within five kilometres of the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch.

People living close to the border have been asked to stay indoors. The year 2018 had witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations – 2,936 – by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border.

Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire understanding of 2003 despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the agreement during flag meetings between the border guarding forces of the two nations, the official said.