BSF Jawan Among Two Injured As Pakistan Targets J-K's Kathua, Poonch

Two people, including a BSF jawan, were injured as Pakistani Army continued ceasefire violations by targeting forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Poonch and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.

The mortar shelling and small arms firing from across the border was intense in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors along the LoC in Poonch district, where a number of shells also fell in the close vicinity of revered shrine of famous Sufi saint Sain Baba Miran Bakash, they said.

The officials said panic gripped the border residents as mortar shelling continued throughout the day after Pakistan initiated the ceasefire violation early in the morning. The sounds of the explosions were also heard in Poonch town.

"Today at about 0745 hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in Shahpur and Kirni sectors. The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly," a defence spokesman said.

He said the shelling stopped in the two sectors around 1.20 pm, only to restart at 3.50 pm and spreading to nearby Qasba sector as well.

A youth, Mohammad Rashid, was injured after he was hit by splinters in his village in Shahpur sector, the officials said, adding the Pakistani shells also landed in the close vicinity of the revered shrine of Baba Miran Bakash at Guntrian village, causing panic among the devotees.

However, the devotees and the shrine is safe, they said, adding the heavy cross-border firing was going on when last reports were received.

Six people were injured in the shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch on Sunday.

BSF Constable Abishek Roy received splinter injuries when a mortar shell exploded near his post at Manyari in Hiranagar sector along the IB in Kathua district late Monday, the officials said.

They said the Pakistani Army opened fire and lobbed shells in the sector at 8.15 pm, prompting an effective retaliation by the BSF personnel guarding the IB.

The exchange of fire between the two sides continued till 3.25 am Tuesday, the officials said, adding the jawan, who was injured around 11.35 pm, was brought to a medical college here for specialised treatment and his condition is stated to be "stable".      

 According to officials, Pakistan violated the ceasefire over 2,000 times along the LoC this year, leaving 21 people dead and scores of others injured.