Pakistan shells border hamlets, posts along LoC; woman killed

One woman was killed and four others were on Monday injured when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by shelling border hamlets and posts with mortar bombs along the International Border (IB) and the LoC in Samba, Jammu and Rajouri districts.

"Pakistani Rangers started firing with small arms followed by mortars at one place and further spread to four or five places in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors of Samba and Jammu district from 6:30 am," DIG BSF (G) Dharmendra Pareek said.

They fired 82 mm mortar bombs intermittently, Pareek said, adding, BSF gave them a befitting reply.

A woman aged between 21 to 22 years died during shelling in a hamlet in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, SSP Samba Joginder Singh said.

Six persons have been injured in the ceasefire violations since Monday.

At 7:10 am, three mortar shells landed in border village of Pindi in Arnia sector of Jammu district, injuring four persons identified as Bodraj (44), Niky, Dharana Devi and Chanchla Devi (49), he said.

Two women, Robiya Kouser (28) and Tasveer Bi (24), were injured in Pakistani shelling in Mendhar sector of Poonch district on Monday evening and have been hospitalised, police said.

Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in Naushera sector of Rajouri district from 5:30 am using small arms, automatics, 82 and 120 mm mortars, PRO Defence Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and IB in the state since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by the Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

On Monday, an elderly woman and a soldier were killed and a girl and two armymen were injured in cross-LoC shelling and firing by Pakistani troops in Poonch and Rajouri districts.