Heavy shelling on LoC; 2 jawans, woman injured

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 13:  While International Border in Jammu sector remained calm for second consecutive day today, Pakistan Army pounded forward Indian positions and civilian areas on the Line of Control (LoC) at Sabjian, Shahpur, Kirni and Balakote sectors in Poonch district injuring two Army jawans, a woman and causing damage to some houses.
Official sources said Pakistan Army started heavy mortar shelling and firing on forward Indian posts and civilian areas in Sabjian sector of Poonch at 3.30 pm. The Indian side retaliated, leading to exchanges.
Several mortar shells fell in civilian areas of Sabjian causing injuries to a woman identified as Parveen Begum, 30, wife of Abdul Shakoor R/o village Chool in Gagrian area of Sabjian sector. She was sitting in her house when a mortar shell exploded nearby causing her splinter injuries.
Police parties from Sabjian led by Incharge Police Post ASI Raqeeb Ahmad evacuated the injured and shifted her to hospital.
Two Army jawans sustained minor injuries in the shelling and didn’t require evacuation to hospital as they were treated locally.
SSP Poonch Shamsheer Hussain said police parties in forward areas of the LoC have been directed to evacuate the injured immediately. The injured woman was responding to the treatment, he added.
Heavy shelling and firing in entire Sabjian sector continued for three hours, sources said, adding that some militants reportedly tried to infiltrate into this side and plant IEDs under the cover of Pakistan firing but didn’t succeed due to alertness of the Indian troops.
Several mortar shells fell inside or close to houses in civilian areas of Sabjian causing damage to them.
Later at about 6.15 pm, Pakistan Army opened shelling and firing in Shahpur and Kirni sectors of Poonch, which continued for more than an hour. The Indian side retaliated very effectively to silence the Pakistani guns.
As shelling stopped at Shahpur and Kirni at 8 pm, Pakistan Army started pounding forward areas of Balakote sector. The shelling in Balakote continued till late tonight but there were no reports of any casualties or damage on the Indian side.
The SSP Poonch said district police has constituted Crisis Management Groups to maintain liaison with Panchayat representatives and keep coordination with Army authorities for evacuation of civilians injured in firing or shelling.
Hussain said five Crisis Management Groups have been constituted for Balakote, Mankote, Degwar, Shahpur and Sabjian. He added that Joint Control Rooms have also been established for co-ordination with Army authorities and civil administration.
Meanwhile, situation in entire 198 kilometers long International Border (IB) remained peaceful for second consecutive day today with no firing reported from any part of the IB.
However, about 33,000 border villagers continued to stay in the migrant camps anticipating that Pakistan could resume shelling and firing.
The houses of civilians in the border villages of Hiranagar, Samba, Ramgarh, Arnia, RS Pura and parts of Kanachak and Pargwal remained deserted. The people were visiting houses during day time to feed cattle and returning immediately thereafter.

Follow our WhatsApp channel