*People demand bunkers, ambulances
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 11: A woman was killed and her husband injured while several Government and private buildings including a school and forward posts of the Indian Army were pounded with 120mm mortars and automatic weapons by Pakistan army last night in Nowshera sector. In retaliatory firing by the Indian troops, Pakistan claimed that a civilian was killed and three others were injured on their side.
The administration has ordered closure of Government schools along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector and set up two migrant camps at Government Higher Secondary Schools for Boys and Girls in Nowshera town, where some families reached late this evening from forward villages in anticipation of fresh mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops. The schools, falling within the range of two kilometers from the LoC, will also remain closed tomorrow.
Pakistan army used 120 mm mortars and automatic weapons in targeting forward areas of Jhanghar, Bhawani, Kalsian, Sher Makri, Qila Darhal, Sarya, Khamba and Pukharni along LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district at 10.40 pm last night. Indian side retaliated effectively and gave matching response to Pakistan, leading to heavy exchanges. The shelling was very intense till 2 am after which it was reduced to intermittent and completely halted at 6.30 am.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, who visited all forward areas of Nowshera sector affected by overnight shelling, told the Excelsior that a woman was killed and her husband was injured in the shelling while some buildings suffered damages. He said authorities have designated Government Higher Secondary School Boys and Government Higher Secondary School Girls in Nowshera town at migrant camps for lodging the people, who shift from the forward areas. Some more camps were being identified by the administration, if required.
Dr Bhandari said he inter-acted with shelling victims and they mainly projected two major demands including construction of bunkers for the people living on LoC in safer areas at par with the people of International Border and deployment of ambulances in border villages for immediate evacuation of injured to the hospitals. He added that he would take up both the demands with the concerned authorities.
“By the evening, panic among the people had subsided and very few villagers had turned up at the migrant camps,” the Divisional Commissioner said, adding that all educational institutions along LoC in Nowshera sector were closed this morning as a precautionary measure. The schools within two kilometers radius of LoC will also remain closed tomorrow.
Official sources said as soon as the mortar shelling began, a couple sleeping outside their house was hit by a mortar shell at village Lambi Patti in Pukharni, Lam, leading to on spot death of Akhter Bi, 40, wife of Mohammad Hanief and injuries to her husband Mohammad Hanief. Condition of Hanief is stable.
Several mortar shells landed close to civilian population and other buildings in forward areas of Nowshera sector in which the people had very narrow escape. Three mortar shells fell inside Government Middle School Jhanghar causing extensive damage to the building.
A number of houses suffered partial to extensive damage while some cattle also perished. Sources said 40 cattle were reported to have perished in Pakistan shelling and firing while there were reports of damage caused to 27 houses, which was from partial to severe. One school building was also damaged.
Authorities have given Rs 1.10 lakh immediate ex-gratia to the family of woman killed in the shelling while remaining part of the relief would be sanctioned by the Government.
Several forward posts of the Army in Nowshera sector were also targeted by Pakistani troops with mortars and firing but there were no casualties or damage of the troops, sources said.
Sources said six Pakistani villages opposite Nowshera sector were hit in retaliatory shelling by the Indian Army during the night. They included Tandar, Sabzkot, Khuiratta, Baron, Basgar and Khanjar. Pakistan has claimed that one civilian was killed and three others were injured in retaliatory shelling by the Indian side.
Till late tonight, 50 persons of 15 families had taken shelter in the migrant camps at Nowshera town but, sources said, the number could go up further.
Though the firing stopped around 6.30 am today, the panic-stricken people living along the LoC in Nowshera sector remained confined to their houses till 10 am. They started coming out of the houses to watch impact of damages to their houses, cattle sheds and fields, caused in mortar shelling.
The latest incident of ceasefire violation comes after the beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistan’s Border Action Team in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district on May 1.
Under the cover of heavy mortar fire, the Pakistani Special Forces team had sneaked 400 meters across the Line of Control (LoC) into the KG sector and beheaded the soldiers.
The Home Ministry has said that at least one incident of ceasefire violation by Pakistan took place daily along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015 and 2016 in which 23 security personnel lost their lives.
As many as 1,142 terror incidents were reported in the State between 2012 and 2016 in which 236 security personnel and 90 civilians were killed, it said.
According to the reply, Pakistan breached the truce along the Line of Control 449 times in 2016 as compared to 405 violations in 2015. Twenty three security personnel were killed in the two-year period.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief over the death of woman and injuries to her husband in Nowshehra sector of Rajouri district today due to cross LoC firing.
The Chief Minister has directed the Rajouri district administration to provide all assistance and help to the injured in the incident.
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