Two killed in Pakistani shelling in Kashmir

Two civilians were killed on Sunday when Pakistani forces shelled civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the civilian death toll in two days to seven.

The latest shelling took place in Poonch and Rajouri districts, military spokesman Colonel Manish Mehta told IANS here. Eight civilians were also injured.

"Two civilians were killed and five others injured in unprovoked ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army on the LoC in Poonch," he said.

The official said the Pakistanis began firing 120 mm mortar shells and automatics from 10 a.m. in Hamirpur sector of Poonch. He said the civilian deaths took place in Basoni area.

A MI-17 helicopter was flown to the spot to evacuate the injured.

Another MI-17 helicopter flew to pick up three civilians injured in Pakistani shelling on the LoC in Rajouri district, the spokesman added.

Five civilians were killed in indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan in Balakote sector of the LoC on Saturday, India's Independence Day.

The two days of shelling has also injured nearly 25 other civilians, all of them residents of border villages.

Three of the deaths on Saturday took place when a car was hit by a shell. As civilians gathered near the car, another shell from Pakistan exploded injuring over 20 of them. One of them died later.