Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 20: As Pakistan Army continued firing in forward areas of Shahpur in Poonch sector overnight damaging over a dozen houses, top Army Commanders today visited Poonch, met the firing victims and directed the Field Commanders to give adequate response to Pakistan’s misadventure even as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 16 Corps Lt Gen KH Singh declared that Army was ready to meet with any situation in the State including twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and charged Pakistan Army’s Mujahid Regiment deployed across Poonch with trying to abet infiltration attempts by the militants.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan Army continued targeting forward villages of Shahpur, Kasba and Gountri in Shahpur area of Poonch sector till 3 am early today. Several bullets hit the civilian houses in forward areas causing minor damage to them but there were no casualties on the Indian side. Army retaliated effectively after which Pakistan stopped firing.
Sources said Pakistan Army was directly targeting civil population in the forward areas, which was evident from injuries caused to five civilians including three women and damage to number of houses, which were hit by the bullets and splinters of mortar shells. Several civilians had narrow escape in firing and shelling as they hid themselves inside houses and bunkers.
Panic prevailed among the villagers living in Shahpur, Kasba and Gountri villages, which were located close to the LoC, due to frequent incidents of firing and shelling by the Pakistani troops. Reports said that the people were not venturing out of their houses fearing that Pakistani could resort to shelling of firing anytime.
Meanwhile, GOC Nagrota based 16 Corps Lt Gen KH Singh accompanied by Rajouri-Poonch based 25 Infantry Division GOC Maj Gen DA Chaturvedi and Poonch Brigade Commander Brigadier Navdeep Singh Brar visited Poonch and met firing victims in the District Hospital, Poonch this morning. They inter-acted with the civilians, who were injured in Pakistan shelling and firing on the occasion of Eid festival on Saturday and handed over cash relief of Rs 10,000 to each of them from the Army side.
In an informal chat with the reporters at Poonch, Lt Gen KH Singh declared that Army was ready to meet with any situation in Jammu and Kashmir particularly the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
“We are ready to face any kind of situation on the LoC. Army is fully geared to thwart the infiltration attempts,” he said.
Asserting that Army was trying to keep LoC calm and quiet, the GOC 16 Corps, however, said there were certain elements across the border, who want to create problems on the LoC.
“For them (the elements across the border), we have to act. In order to act, we have to give them certain unacceptable damage,” Lt Gen Singh said.
Ha added: “it will be our endeavour to keep the LoC calm and quiet. However, Pakistan Army and certain elements were trying to violate peace. We will have to react”.
Charging Pakistan Army’s ‘Mujahid Regiment’ deployed opposite Poonch sector with trying to abet infiltration attempt in Poonch sector just two to three days back, the Army Commander said the troops foiled the infiltration attempt but unfortunately in the process a civilian was killed on the other side. He regretted the killing of unarmed civilian.
Lt Gen KH Singh said he had come along with the GOC 25 Infantry Division and the Poonch Brigade Commander to meet the firing victims.
The GOC 16 Corps also reviewed situation prevailing on the borders with top Commanders including Maj Gen DA Chaturvedi, GOC 25 Infantry Division and Incharge of Rajouri and Poonch districts, Brigadier Navdeep Singh Brar, Commander Poonch Brigade and other Field Commanders operating on the LoC.
He called upon the Army Commanders to maintain high alert on the LoC as the militants could try to take advantage of Pakistan firing to infiltrate into this side as had happened earlier. He lauded the Army troops for not allowing the infiltration attempt to succeed.
“The Corps Commander during his visit took stock of the prevailing security situation along the Line of Control in the wake of the recent incidents of ceasefire violations,” sources said.
He said that the Army General asked the local administration to make some bunkers and bomb shelters so that civilians in the area can take shelter in such places whenever there is heavy firing from across the LoC.
“To minimise the damage to civilian life in case of heavy firing from across the Line of Control, the General requested the local administration to come up with bunkers and bomb shelters,” sources said.
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