Woman killed in Pak ceasefire violation

JAMMU: A woman was killed on Saturday when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a police official said.

Parveen Akhter was killed when she was hit by a bullet fired by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Pkukherni and Lairan villages of Noushera around 10:35pm, he said.

The official said Akhter was hit inside her home at Lairan village.

Indian troops guarding the border retaliated, he said, adding intermittent firings and shellings were going on when the last reports were received.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani troops launched mortars shells at civilian areas along the LoC in nearby Poonch district but there was no loss of life or injury to any one.

“The Pakistan Army launched mortar shells in Khadi Karmara forward areas in Poonch around 11:00 hours today,” the police official said. The shells fell deep inside Indian territory along the LoC, triggering panic and fear among the residents.

The Pakistan troops also launched shells along the LoC in Chakan Da Bagh forward area in Poonch, the official said.

On February 9, three Army jawans were injured in intermittent firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Poonch district.

On February 8, a 45-year-old woman was killed in shelling by the Pakistani troops along the LoC in the KG sector.

A total of 19 people, including 10 security personnel and nine civilians, were killed and over 75 injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC and the IB in Jammu region this year.