Pak opens heavy fire on forward posts in Rajouri

THIS WAS THE THIRD SUCH VIOLATION IN THE PAST 24 HOURS

JAMMU : Pakistan on Tuesday shelled Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber Gali sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting India to retaliate in equal measure.

This was the third such violation in the past 24 hours. Rajouri is 150 kms northwest of Jammu.

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said Pakistani troops opened unprovoked firing at 11am on Tuesday on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Bhimber Gali sector in Rajouri.

He informed that Pakistan resorted to “indiscriminate” firing of small arms, automatic weapons and also shot 82 mm mortars.

Indian Army posts retaliated strongly and the gun battle stopped at around 11:50 am, he added.

In March, Pakistan had violated the truce four times along the LoC in Poonch district.

On Monday, Pakistan fired and shelled forward posts in Poonch and Rajouri districts of J&K.

Reports of exchange of firing between the armed forces of the two countries are routine along the LoC.

Both the countries accuse each other of repeatedly violating a 2003 ceasefire.

There have been several instances of cross-border firings and terrorist infiltrations within the country from Pakistan.

On Saturday, a Junior Commissioned Officer, Naib Subedar S Sanayaima, was killed in an IED blast in Degwar sector of Poonch district.

In 2016, as many as 228 instances of ceasefire violations along the LoC were reported.

Furthermore, there were 221 instances of ceasefire violations along the International Border (IB).