SRINAGAR: After few hours of calm during the day, the guns and mortars again roared along the Line of Control and International Border (IB) in the evening while an army man injured in Pakistani troops firing succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll of people killed in four days to 11.
Defence spokesman based in Udhampur, Colonel N N Joshi told New Indian Express that no ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops was reported from any sector along the LoC in Jammu province during the day.
Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal told New Indian Express that Pakistani troops again resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Bhawani, Karali, Sair, Numb Ser Makri, Manjakote and Rajdhani areas in the evening.
He said the heavy shelling was still going on.
The army men deployed along the LoC were returning the fire effectively.
The peace also prevailed along the IB in the State during the day.
“The entire stretch of IB in J&K remained calm and peaceful during the day and there was no incident of ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops. However, in the evening the Pakistani troops also breached the border ceasefire,” BSF spokesman said.
He said the Pakistani troops resorted to firing and mortar shelling in some sectors along IB and it was being effectively retaliated.
Sources said the Pakistani Rangers breached border ceasefire in R S Pura and Kanachak sectors in Jammu in the evening and were targeting BSF outposts and civilian areas with gunfire and mortar shells.
Earlier, the Pakistani troops had also resorted to mortar shelling in Arnia sector of Jammu from 9 to 10 pm yesterday.
Meanwhile, an army man Chandan Kumar Rai, who was grievously injured in Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling in Mendhar sector in Poonch district yesterday, succumbed to injuries at the military hospital today.
Rai, 25, belonged to Nadesar village of Uttar Pradesh and is survived by father.
The IB and LoC has remained tense since Thursday and in four days of firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops, 11 have been killed and over four dozen injured.
Among the dead include three army men, two BSF jawans and six civilians.
All the schools within radius of five kilometers of LoC and IB in Jammu province have been closed.
An official said the administration would take a call on reopening of schools tomorrow morning if peace continued to prevail along the frontiers.
J&K Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today appealed for cessation of hostilities on borders saying that it is people of the State, who have suffered due to the acrimony between India and Pakistan.
“I appeal India and Pakistan not to turn Kashmir in a battlefield,” Mehbooba said while addressing the attestation-cum-passing out parade of police at Sheeri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.
While expressing her deep anguish over the loss of lives on the borders during the heavy shelling of past few days, she said, “People of J&K are the worst victims of the acrimony between the two neighbouring countries. I pray that the hostilities on border ends soon”.
“How painful it is that when people of border areas should be demanding good schools, hospitals and roads, they are asking for bunkers to protect their lives,” Mehbooba said and called for friendship, dialogue and reconciliation between India and Pakistan to sort out issues.