Artillery fire for 2nd day; 2 jawans injured, houses damaged
*10-12 villages badly affected, hospitals on high alert
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 9: In a major success, the Indian Army today hit three terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in village Nakyal of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in which number of militants were believed to have been killed or seriously injured as the troops retaliated to continued artillery fire and mortar shelling by Pakistan which was aimed at giving cover to the militants for infiltration into the Indian territory in Poonch district.
Sources said Pakistan army started artillery fire and long range mortar shelling in Balakote and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district around 12 noon today targeting forward defence posts and civilian areas prompting the Indian side to retaliate effectively.
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“The Indian troops had to take strong retaliatory action as there were reports that Pakistani troops had shifted groups of militants at Nakyal terror launch pads opposite Mendhar sector of Poonch district with a view to push them into the Indian side under the cover of heavy shelling and firing,” sources said.
Heavy exchange of firing continued for three hours initially and resumed this evening after lull of about three hours, sending waves of panic among the border dwellers who remained confined to houses and bunkers.
Number of houses and cattle sheds were damaged in Pakistan shelling and firing in forward villages of Mendhar and Balakote. At least 10 to 12 villages came under intense shelling from Pakistan army in the two sectors. Late tonight, Pakistan army also resorted to heavy shelling and firing in Degwar sector of Poonch.
Sources confirmed that at least three terror launch pads which were being used by Pakistan army to keep militants before pushing them for infiltration into the Indian territory have been hit in Nakyal forward area of PoK across Mendhar sector of Poonch district in retaliatory shelling and firing by the Indian Army.
Each terror launch pad is used for keeping three militants by the Pakistan army, sources said, adding that there were at least eight to nine militants inside the launch pads and either they have been killed or seriously injured. Pakistani troops could be seen evacuating the militants from the launch pads.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch Rahul Yadav told the Excelsior that an advisory has been issued to the civilians living within shelling and firing range on the LoC in Poonch district to stay indoors or closest bunkers. The administration has also publicized mobile telephones and landline numbers of doctors and hospitals to the border dwellers for approaching them for ambulance and other medical facilities in case of any eventuality.
Yadav said a decision on educational institutions will be taken tomorrow morning after observing prevailing situation on the LoC.
SSP Poonch Romesh Angral said all police stations and posts in the forward areas have been alerted and asked to provide every kind of help required to the people living in the border villages as mortar shells and artillery fires were directly landing in many villages of Balakote and Mendhar sectors.
The civil administration has also alerted all hospitals and primary health centres in the border areas to remain on alert 24×7 to meet with any eventuality. The hospital authorities have been asked to keep ambulances in ready mode to assist the civilians.
Two Indian Army jawans were today injured in Pakistan shelling and firing in their forward post in Mendhar sector. They have been identified as Naik Phirerasan and Sepoy Winges. They were immediately evacuated from the site of firing and shifted to local hospital from where they were airlifted to the Military Hospital in Udhampur.
Yesterday, an Indian Army jawan was martyred and three soldiers including a Major were injured in Pakistan shelling and firing in Degwar sector of Poonch district. In retaliatory firing by the Indian Army, three Pakistani troops were killed and two others injured while three to four Pakistani posts were destroyed.
Forest area in Basooni Forward in Mendhar sector caught fire due to heavy shelling and firing by the Pakistan army this afternoon.
Sources said number of houses and cattle sheds have been damaged in Pakistan shelling and firing in Balakote and Mendhar sectors. However, exact number of houses damaged and losses suffered by the people will be known only after the administration undertakes survey of the villages after the shelling stops.
“There were no civilian casualties in the Pakistan shelling and firing as the people remained confined to houses and bunkers in anticipation of ceasefire violations on the LoC, like yesterday,” sources said, adding that the administration has also been issuing advisories to the border dwellers from time to time depending on the situation developing in the forward areas.
According to sources, Pakistan army was desperate to push trained militants into the Indian territory in view of depleting strength of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in Jammu and Kashmir due to killing of large number of militants by the security forces.
Pakistan army has revived almost all terror launch pads on their side of the LoC and kept militants of JeM and LeT outfits there for facilitating their infiltration into J&K under the cover of shelling and firing. However, the Indian Army has successfully thwarted infiltration attempts by the militants on the LoC backed by Pakistani troops.
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