SRI NAGAR: A dozen houses were damaged and many civilians suffered injuries in fresh cross-LoC firing and mortar shelling on Thursday.
The tension in Uri sector has escalated after a soldier and a woman were killed in Pakistani troops mortar shelling on Wednesday.
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Veeresha Kurahatti and a woman Naseema were killed in Pakistani troops, mortar shelling in the Uri sector on Wednesday.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri Riyaz Ahmad told this newspaper that the cross-LoC firing and mortar shelling took place in the Uri sector on Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning.
He said there was calm during the night but Pakistani troops again fired from automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling on army positions and civilian areas in Churunda and other adjoining villages along the Uri sector in the morning today.
In the absence of underground bunkers, some families living in the Uri sector have moved to safer places. The border residents living along the LoC in Valley have been demanding construction of underground bunkers for them where they can take refuge in case of Pakistani troops firing and mortar shelling.
The SDM said the administration has advised people to stay indoors and don’t venture out from their homes during cross-border firing and mortar shelling.
The SDM said they have told the border residents that in case they feel a threat to their lives due to cross-LoC firing, they can come to Uri town where a rehabilitation camp has been set for people fleeing Pakistani troops firing and shelling. He said adequate arrangements have been made in camp to provide food and lodging to residents.
The SDM said four families living close to LoC are living in the camp from the last two months. According to reports, Pakistan has violated ceasefire 1000 times since abrogation of Article 370.