BSF officer, girl killed, 14 injured in Pakistani shelling (Fourth Lead)

A BSF officer and a 6-year old girl were killed and 14 persons, including five other security personnel, were injured on Monday in Pakistani shelling on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

Police said the girl was killed and nine civilians were injured in the shelling in Shahpur, Kerni, Mankote, Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors.

"The girl died after being hit by a splinter fired by the Pakistan Army," a police officer said.

Also killed was a BSF officer, official sources said, but did not give his name or designation yet.

Nine civilians and six security personnel, including two soldiers and four Border Security Force (BSF) troopers, were injured in indiscriminate shelling and firing by Pakistan, police said, adding that all the injured have been shifted to hospital.

One of the injured BSF men, an inspector, succumbed to his injuries.

Reports said that heavy firing exchanges were continuing intermittently on the LoC at many places in Poonch district.

Authorities have closed all educational institutions close to the LoC following the ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army that began at 7.45 a.m.

According to Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand, the Pakistani troops resorted to mortar shelling and firing of small arms.

The Indian troops retaliated effectively, the officer said.

--IANS

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