Several houses hit, narrow escape for civilians
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 14: For third consecutive day today, Pakistan army violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district targeting innocent civilians in Balakote sector of Mendhar tehsil in which three children, all from a family, were injured after a mortar shell exploded inside their house.
“Several civilian areas were heavily shelled by Pakistan from 6.30 pm till late tonight. Indian side retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns,” sources told the Excelsior.
Sources said Pakistani troops started firing mortars and bullets with automatic and semi-automatic weapons directly targeting civilian areas including Balakote, Balakote Forward, Tarkundi, Langiot, Kanga, Sandiot, Khanetar, Dhar Galoon and surroundings in Balakote sector of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district at 6.30 pm.
“The people, who were working in the fields while children playing outside their houses were caught unawares in heavy mortar shelling. The people took shelter in houses, bunkers and other available space,” they said, adding that one of the mortar shells fired by Pakistani troops exploded in the house of Mohammad Naseeb Khan, a police constable, injuring his three children. Khan is posted in Jammu.
Security forces and local people braved heavy shelling and firing to evacuate injured from the forward village and shifted them to hospital. They had sustained splinter injuries of mortar explosion.
A number of mortars fell close to houses of the civilians in forward areas of Balakote, causing damage to them.
Three children of the police constable, who were injured in mortar explosion, have been identified as Tahira Naseeb, 16, Tariq Naseeb, 14 and Rafiq Naseeb, 8.
Sources said condition of Tahira was serious. She was referred to the Government Medical College in Jammu tonight while two other children were undergoing treatment in the Sub District Hospital (SDH) at Mendhar.
Reports said number of civilians had very narrow escape in tonight’s mortar shelling by the Pakistani troops, which targeted the civilians in forward areas of Balakote sector. A number of mortar shells fell very close to houses and other structures of the civilians and exploded with bangs minutes after the people had taken shelter in bunkers or deep inside their houses.
Troops from this side gave befitting reply to Pakistan army.
Pakistan side has been suffering heavy damage in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops. Tonight also, reports said, Pakistan has suffered losses when Indian Army retaliated to silence the Pakistani guns, which were targeting civilian areas.
A day before, an Army jawan and a defence porter were martyred while six others including five troops and a defence porter were injured in firing by Pakistan army at Khari Karmara in Poonch sector. Yesterday also, Pakistan had violated ceasefire in Khari Karmara and Digwar areas of Poonch sector.
Sources said Pakistan army has suffered heavy losses in retaliatory firing by the Indian side, both in terms of casualties, fatal and non-fatal, as well as their infrastructure on the LoC.
There have been reports that a number of militants were camping close to LoC on Pakistan side waiting for an opportunity to sneak into this side under the cover of shelling and firing. However, the alert Indian troops haven’t allowed the attempts of militants and Pakistan army to succeed.
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