SRINAGAR: The Pakistani troops targeted Indian forward posts and civilian areas along Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing a teenage girl and injuring four others.
Defence spokesperson based in Jammu Lt Col Manish Mehta told Express that Pakistani troops fired from small arms and restored to unprovoked mortar shelling on forward posts and civilian villages at Sabjian sector along LoC in Poonch district in Jammu province this afternoon.
“A teenage girl was killed and four others injured when shells fired by Pakistani troops landed in Gagrian village in Sabjian sector this afternoon. The injured includes a 60-year-old person and all have been hospitalized,” he said.
The deceased girl was identified as 16-year-old Zahira Akhtar daughter of Bashir Ahmed.
Lt Col Mehta said army men deployed on LoC also returned the fire and both sides exchanged heavy gunfire for nearly two and a half hours.
The landing of mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops in the area has caused panic among residents of Gagrian village and many of them have fled from their homes and taken refuge in “safer places”.
Defence sources said this was the third ceasefire violation along LoC in the State after September 7 floods ravaged Jammu and Kashmir, causing death of 281 people and destroyed property, including houses, worth thousands of crores and rendering thousands of families homeless.
Meanwhile, a BSF official said Pakistani troops targeted their border outposts along International Border (IB) in Jammu province.
He said Pakistan troops fired from small arms towards forward border posts in Chak Phagwari area of Pargwal sector in Akhnoor area of Jammu.
“Our troops effectively returned the fire from the small calibre weapons,” the official said adding no casualty or damage to property was reported during the exchange of firing.
The official said troops have increased vigil along IB and LoC after recent ceasefire violations. “We apprehend that under the garb of these ceasefire violations, Pakistani troops may attempt to push militants into the State to foment trouble”.