Three killed in Pakistan shelling in Jammu

In the worst such incident in two weeks, three civilians were killed and nine injured when Pakistani military resorted to indiscriminate shelling on the Jammu and Kashmir border, police said.

The Pakistan Rangers went on the offensive in R.S. Pura sector of the international border in Jammu district around 1 a.m., an officer told IANS here.

The shelling left Subhash Chander, 45, and Bimla Devi, 42, both residents of Sai Khurd village, and Pawan Kumar, 55, who lived in Abdullian village, dead besides causing widespread panic.

Indian security forces responded, triggering gun battles on the border, the official said.

Police said the Pakistanis also used machine guns.

It was the worst violation of the 2003 ceasefire on the Jammu and Kashmir border since August 15 -- India's Independence Day -- when Pakistani firing and shelling killed six civilians on the Indian side.

Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed that six civilians were killed when Indian troopers opened fire and shelled on the international border, Dawn online reported.

Pakistan controls the northern third of Jammu and Kashmir and India the southern two-third. Firing and shelling on the border have been frequent in recent times.