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The nighmare on border is over -- for now

Pakistani guns fell silent after eight days of heavy shelling on Indian positions in Kupwara, Baramulla, Kargil and Poonch sectors, which left 53 people dead and about 100 injured.

A defence ministry spokesman said there was no fresh incidents anywhere since Thursday afternoon.

He said Pakistani troops had been firing missiles, mortars, artillery and rockets since July 30.

Thousands of people living in the villages near the Line of Control had migrated because of the ''unusually'' heavy shelling. Though the border has been silent for the last 24 hours, villagers haven't started returning.

The Indian forces were alert to foil any infiltration bid by militants, the spokesman said.

One of the injured in the shelling died in hospital Thursday night.

The casualities suffered by Pakistani troops in India's retaliatory is not known. However, defence sources said several Pakistani bunkers and posts were destroyed in the shelling.

Meanwhile, the Fruit Growers Association in Baramulla said that fruits worth Rs 20 million has been destroyed in the shelling. A spokesman claimed that the foreign troops deliberately targeted areas producing fruits.

UNI

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