LoC shelling: Indian, Pakistani field commanders to meet on Monday

A flag meeting at the brigade commanders-level will be held on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district to address the issue of ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) which divides the state between India and Pakistan, a defence official said.

"The ceasefire violations had escalated in last few days and had resulted in large number of civilian casualties and collateral damage to property. Brigadier-level field commanders from both sides will discuss on Monday the modalities to defuse the tense situation," army's Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command spokesman Col. S.D.Goswami told IANS here.

The meeting at Chakan De Bagh crossing assumes significance because during the last fortnight, Pakistan has violated ceasefire on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu region 20 times.

This has sent panic waves among hundreds of families living in border villages in these districts.

Four civilians were killed and more than a dozen others injured during this period because of shelling of civilian areas in Krishna Ghati, Hamirpur, Bhimber, Balakot and other areas near the LoC.