PAK SHELLING LEAVES 2 DEAD
CEASEFIRE VIOLATION Four soldiers of the 48 Rashtriya Rifles injured in exchange of fire
JAMMU: At least two civilians were killed and seven persons, including four army personnel, were injured as Pakistan pounded 35 forward villages villages and Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera, Qila Darhal and Manjakote areas of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Saturday.
Rajouri DC Dr Shahid Iqbal said the dead were identified as 51-year-old Haji Tufail Hussain and his relative’s 13-year-old daughter, Asiya Bi.
JAMMU: At least two civilians, including a minor girl were killed and nine, including four Indian Army personnel, were injured as Pakistan fired mortars on 35 forward villages and Indian posts along the LoC in Nowshera, Qila Darhal and Manjakote areas of J&K’s Rajouri district on Saturday, officials said.
This was the third ceasefire violation along the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir in the past three days.
Four soldiers of the 48 Rashtriya Rifles suffered injuries in the exchange of fire, and were taken to a garrison hospital, said an intelligence source.
Rajouri deputy commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal said the dead were identified as 51-year-old Haji Tufail Hussain and his relative’s 13-year-old daughter, Asiya Bi. “The little girl was not his daughter. She had come from Surankote in Poonch to stay with Tufail’s family at Jhangar,” Iqbal said. Tufail’s wife Zaitoon Begum was critically injured and was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Jammu. Among four civilians injured, two have been identified as Rekha Devi and Sonia Kousar of Jhangar.
The deputy commissioner along with senior superintendent of police (SSP) Yougal Manhas and other senior officers from health, animal husbandry, power, and essential services departments rushed to the affected areas to facilitate evacuation. Choudhary said he has ordered the closure of nearly 50 schools located along the border in Nowshera for an indefinite period. He’s also ordered closing down of 36 more schools located in Dandesar, Doongi and Manjakote for three days.
Middle School Thathiali school in Manjakote area and another two were reportedly damaged in Nowshera.
“Ceasefire violation was reported in Nowshera around 0730 hours on Saturday. Heavy mortar shelling started early morning which went through the day in villages Sarya, Khamba, Bhawani, Kalsian, Mahanpur, Dhanaka, Ganya and Khori, situated within 2 km from the LoC. Overall 26 villages in Nowshera and Qila Darhal Tehsils have been affected while nine villages in Manjakote Tehil of District Rajouri also remained in the line of fire for around three hours,” said Choudhary.
“Heavy shelling during the day hampered our rescue and evacuation process as the road leading to Jhangar was repeatedly in the line of fire, which could risk lives. More than 200 people from various villages have been shifted to various camps established by district administration where facilities of ration, cooking, drinking water, sanitation, first aid and proper accommodation have been provided”, he said, adding that two more vehicles carrying 70 people reached Nowshera taking the number of migrants to 270.