Artist call for peace in Kashmir through sand art

Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, on Friday called for peace in Jammu and Kashmir through his sculpture on Puri beach in Odisha.

Pattnaik crafted a five feet long sculpture using three tonnes of sand with a message reading, "Bullets can't bring peace". The sand art also had replicas of national flags of both India and Pakistan, along with face of an injured child.

"Through sand art we are appealing for peace. We want to give a message that issues at India-Pakistan border should be resolved and it should be developed in peaceful manner," said Pattnaik.

Nine Pakistani and eight Indian civilians have been killed since heavy shelling by both sides' security forces started more than a week ago.

Almost 20,000 Indian civilians have fled their homes in the lowlands around India's Jammu region to escape the fighting, taking refuge in schools and relief camps.