1 killed, schools close to LoC shut after Pakistan shelling

A woman was killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday as Pakistan violated the ceasefire on the Line of Control (LoC), according to an army officer.

All schools close to the LoC have been shut.

The firing started on Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning. According to the Indian Army, small arms, automatics and mortars of 82 mm and 120 mm were used by the Pakistani side.

"All schools in villages close to the Line of Control in Rajouri will remain closed as a precautionary measure," a district official said.

The authorities have also designated some schools away from the LoC, which divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan, as makeshift camps to shelter villagers leaving their homes near the border.

The district administration has alerted emergency services to deal with any eventuality because of the heightened tension at the border.

Defence Spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta told IANS that a woman was killed in the indiscriminate firing and shelling by the Pakistani army on Wednesday evening in Naushera sector.

According to army sources, in the last three months, eight Pakistani soldiers have been killed in ceasefire violations and 17 injured.

In another incident, on Tuesday night, the Indian Army had foiled an infiltration bid in Rampur of Baramulla district in north Kashmir.

So far this year, there have been around 50 attempts of infiltration from Pakistan's side and 15 have been successful, army sources said. The exact number of terrorists that managed to sneak into the Indian territory is not known.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Thursday summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad over fresh ceasefire violations on the Line of Control, and claimed that it said has left one Pakistani civilian dead and two others injured.

--IANS

ao/nir/vm