SRINAGAR: A soldier and a woman were killed in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
Defence spokesman in Jammu, Lt Col Manish Mehta, said Pakistan Army breached border ceasefire and resorted to heavy firing on army posts at KG sector along LoC in Poonch district at around 5 pm.
He said an army many identified as Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar, 42, died was grievously injured in the Pakistani troops firing.
The soldier succumbed while being shifted to army hospital.
The deceased soldier belonged to Village Tarsana, district Morena, Madhya Pradesh. He is survived by wife, son and a daughter.
Mehta said the Pakistani troops had also breached the border ceasefire in Poonch district in the morning.
“They resorted to indiscriminate firing from automatic weapons towards army posts and civilian areas in along LoC in Poonch district from 5.15 am. The Pakistani troops also resorted to mortar shelling,” he said.
The spokesman said army men effectively returned the fire from similar caliber weapons and the Pakistani guns fell silent at around 06.45 am.
An official said some mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops landed in the civilian areas in Balakote sector in Mendhar, Poonch.
“A mortar shell landed in a residential house of Mohammad Shabir at Gohlad, Kalran area of Balakote sector. A woman, who was standing in front of the house, received critical splinter injuries and died on spot,” he said.
The deceased was identified as 45-years-old Ruqai Bi.
The official said due to heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops, the residents living close to the LoC in Balakote sector could not take refuge in underground bunkers.
“They remained confined to their homes and once the firing and shelling subsided, they moved to underground bunkers for safety,” he said.
Earlier, on August 8, sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21) of Uttarakhand was killed in Pakistani troops firing in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.
In July, the LoC remained hot and witnessed numerous ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops.
At least nine soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and two civilians were killed in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling along the LoC last month.
16 army men and civilians were also injured in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops.
The death toll of soldiers in July was higher than the casualties suffered by security forces in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along the LoC in the State last year.