Fire engulfs Rajouri district forest, several trees damaged

A fire engulfed forest areas along the Line of Control LoC) in the Keri Sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

Forest officials said that due to heavy shelling along the Line of Control, some of the burning shells fell in the forest area, leading to the fire. "We are trying to cooperate and provide maximum help in this regard," said the Forest Officer of Rajouri, Bashir Ahmed Malik.

The fire has damaged a large numbers of trees, vegetation and killed wildlife. Forest guards said the fire was uncontrollable, as shelling from across the border continues. "It has been six days due to the heavy exchange of fire on the border caused the forest fire. We are helping the locals in dousing the fire but it is uncontrollable because still shelling is taking place on the border," said forest guard Mohammad Sadiq.

As per Indian defence report, Pakistan fired with semi automatic and automatic weapons at the Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir, forcing the Indian Army to retaliate.

The violation comes at a time when Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came to India to attend the wearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi following the latter's invitation to all the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) country leaders.

Last year witnessed many ceasefire violations, infiltrations and gun battles along the border by Pakistan, which killed many of the Indian soldiers, infuriating the entire nation.

The two nuclear-armed countries have fought two wars over Kashmir but had sought to ease access and ommerce in a region at the heart of more than 60 years of hostility.