Pak troops target Jammu villages; truce violation in Gulmarg

After shelling border hamlets along the Line of Control in Poonch, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing of mortar bombs, small and automatic weapons in Jammu region overnight leaving two persons injured.

The army said there was also a brief ceasefire violation along the LoC in Gulmarg sector of north Kashmir on Friday night. “Pakistani Rangers resorted to firing and shelling of mortar bombs targeting border hamlets and Border Out Posts along the International Border in R S Pura belt of Jammu district since last night,” a police officer said on Saturday.

In the firing and shelling, four BoPs and Channa, Kako De Kothay, Kodwal and Devigarh villages were hit. Two persons were injured in Kako-De-Kothay village, officer said. Seven houses suffered partial damage in the firing, the officer said.

Border Security Force troops guarding the border took position and fired back resulting in exchanges which continued till midnight. This is the seventh ceasefire violation in the past four days by Pakistani troops along LoC and IB in Poonch and Jammu districts since October 1. There have been four ceasefire violations along LoC in Poonch and the along IB in Jammu.

One girl was killed and 10 people injured in firing and mortar shelling along LoC in Sabjian forward belt of Poonch district in the past three days.

In Srinagar, General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha told reporters on Saturday that there was a brief ceasefire violation along the LoC in Gulmarg sector of north Kashmir.

“On the intervening night of September 30 and October 1, the first ceasefire violation took place in Poonch sector. Yesterday, it was in the south of Gulmarg as well. The effects were more pronounced on the Poonch side. It was very much there on our side but comparatively not significant,” he said.

Lt Gen Saha said the army was studying the pattern of the frequent ceasefire violations and it was premature to say if there was any design behind it. “Basically, we are still studying the things. Yesterday’s firing lasted for around four hours. It was not absolutely continuous but intermittent. The highest caliber that we could make out from the bombs lying on the Poonch side was a 120 mm bomb. We are analysing it, we are trying to see where does it fit in the larger picture,” he said.

He said army responded to the ceasefire violations in an appropriate manner and has taken up the matter at various levels. “Whenever there has been any such ceasefire violation, they have been responded to appropriately, both in terms of the response on the ground along the LoC and also putting it across as far as ceasefire agreements or shall we say ceasefire understanding are concerned. We have been sending the hotline messages. All those actions are in progress as much as it is on the ground as well as at various headquarters,” Lt Gen Saha said.