India lodges strong protest with Pak over killing of civilian along LoC in J-K

India on Friday registered a strong protest with Pakistan over the killing of an "innocent" Indian national in an unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

The civilian was killed and another injured when the Pakistan Army engaged in mortar shelling in forward areas along the LoC in Poonch district on Thursday.

India registered a strong protest with Pakistan over killing of the Indian national, sources said.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Pakistan Army targeted Qasba, Kirni, Shapur and Mankote sectors of Poonch, officials said.

There have been frequent incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistani side since India announced its decision to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August last year.

Pakistan often resorts to ceasefire violations to push militants into the Indian side. Indian troops have also been retaliating to Pakistani actions under its policy of hot pursuit.

According to official figure, Pakistani troops resorted to 3,200 instances of ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, which was highest in the last 16 years.

Of these, 1,565 ceasefire violations took place since between August and December after the India reorganised Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 2,936 instances of ceasefire violations by Pakistan.