Pak shells forward posts, villages along LoC in Poonch for 3rd day

Pakistani troops violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day on Thursday and resorted to firing mortars and small arms on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, inviting a befitting reply from the Indian Army.

"Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in the Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district at about 2045 hours Thursday," a defence spokesman said.

He said the Indian Army is retaliating befittingly and the exchange of fire between the two sides was continuing when last reports were received.

On Wednesday, Pakistan troops fired mortars and small arms on villages and forward posts along LoC in the Sunderbani sector.

Mohammad Addul Karim was critically injured when a mortar shell, fired by Pakistan Army, hit his house at village Dabraj in Mendhar sector late Tuesday night, officials said, adding he was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors witnessed heavy mortar shelling and firing from across the LoC on Tuesday, resulting in the death of Army soldier Naik Ravi Ranjam Kumar and injuries to four other personnel.

Nearly half a dozen houses were also damaged in the Pakistani firing, which had forced closure of schools within the firing range in the two sectors.

On August 17, an Indian Army jawan suffered fatal injuries in the Pakistani firing in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

The defence spokesman said Indian Army has also inflicted heavy casualties on the Pakistani army in the retaliatory action over the past four days of border skirmishes. On August 15, Pakistan said its four personnel were killed in Indian firing along the LoC.