JAMMU: Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire thrice by targeting 40 Border Out Posts and 25 border hamlets with heavy mortar shells in Jammu sector and LoC areas in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, leaving nine persons injured.
As the ceasefire violations continued, anti-Pakistan protests rocked Jammu and other areas today to protest the firing and shelling.
Defence Spokesman Lt Col Maneesh Mehta said Pakistani troops opened fire with small arms in Balnoie forward belt along LoC in Poonch district around 1420 hours.
The Army retaliated effectively and the exchange of fire is going on in the area, he said, adding there was no loss of life or injury to anyone on the Army side.
In another ceasefire violation, Pakistan Rangers resorted to firing and mortar shelling in Arnia town this morning, a police officer said.
A shell also exploded near the compound wall of a police station in Arnia, leaving six persons injured, the police officer said.
"Pakistani Rangers had fired mortars and opened heavy fire on BSF posts along the International Border since 2100 hours last night", BSF Spokesman Vinood Yadav said.
"As many as 40 BSF BoPs were affected by the fire from Pakistan side", Yadav said, adding that firing and shelling was targeted on areas along the IB in Arnia, R S Pura, Kanachak and Pargwal sub-sectors along IB in Jammu and Samba districts.
He said almost all the BSF posts in Kanachak and Pargwal were targeted by the Pakistan Rangers.
"BSF posts in Arnia and R S Pura Sub-sectors were also also targeted by the enemy," the Spokesman said.
"BSF troops at all the places gave a strong and befitting reply to the firing from Pakistan", the spokesman said, adding that firing in some places, particularly Pargwal is still on.
"There is no loss of life or damage to BSF ", he said.
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There has been heavy firing and mortar shelling on 20 to 25 border hamlets along the International Border in Arnia, R S Pura, Pargwal, Ganjansoo and Kanachak belts of Jammu district since last night, District Magistrate, Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu said.
Three persons have been injured in the firing in Jammu border areas and have been hospitalised.
In view of the firing, over 1000 people were shifted to camps overnight. There have been nine ceasefire violations along the LoC and eight along the IB in Jammu. These include seven in Poonch along LoC, eight along International Border in Jammu and two in Gulmarg sector of Kashmir.
Photos: Ceasefire Violations in Kashmir
Six persons have been killed and 50 others including BSF jawan injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along LoC and IB in Jammu and Poonch districts in the ceasefire violations this month.
On October 6, Pakistan had violated the ceasefire thrice in Bhimber Gali, Kerni and Balakote-Mankote in Poonch district.
On October 5, there were two ceasefire violations. Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by resorting to heavy firing and shelling in Arnia belt along IB in Jammu in which five persons were killed and 34 others were injured.
There was another ceasefire violation during the day when Pakistani troops targeted forward India posts along LoC in Balnoie sub-sector of Poonch district.
On October 4, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing and mortar shelling along LoC in in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing equal retaliation from the Army.
Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire four times on October 3 by shelling forward areas and villages along LoC and International Border in Gulamarg sector of Kashmir Valley and Poonch and Jammu sector in which a girl was killed and six persons were injured.
On October 1 and 2, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire twice along the LoC in Poonch district resulting in injuries to six persons.
Pakistani troops had targeted civilian hamlets on October two, leaving six persons injured.
Protest demonstrations, meanwhile, continued in Jammu for the second consecutive day today against the ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
The Youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party held a protest demonstration against the violation.
BJP workers also held protest demonstrations against the firing at Manyari border belt of Samba district.