Army provides relief to people affected by Pakistani firing

The Indian Army Tuesday provided assistance to over 3,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir affected by firing from Pakistan, an official said.

The army's Tiger Division helped people in R.S. Pura, Arnia and Ramgarh sectors along the international border in Jammu, defence ministry spokesman Colonel Manish Mehta told IANS here.

Eleven teams of the army along with civil administration officials provided medical care, tents, food, water and temporary sanitary facilities, including toiletry items, to over 3,000 civilians primarily women, children and the elderly affected by the ongoing firing, he said.

The people are living in 11 camps established by the civil administration in R.S. Pura, Dablehar, Devigarh, Salehar, Rehal, Ramgarh and Habtal.

The army team included nine women officers and four women medical officers.

The children were also given sports equipment "to keep them engaged and motivated".

At some camps, government teachers were motivated to take classes for the displaced children.

The people "wholeheartedly appreciated the efforts of the army and civil administration" whose relief measures will continue till the border situation becomes normal.

The people near the border were also made aware of precautions to be taken against shelling and firing, the official said.