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Border firing toll rises to 23

Mukhtar Ahmed in Srinagar

Six more civilians were killed in Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control, raising the toll in the past 24 hours to 23, including six soldiers.

The police said five civilians died in heavy shelling on Hajinara village in Tangdar sector in north Kashmir while another civilian was killed at Uri. Many civilians have moved out of the affected areas.

State Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitley and state police chief Gurbachan Jagat, who tried to visit the Tangdar and Uri sectors, could not land and had to return to Kupwara. They said there was "full-scale shelling all along the LOC".

Sources in Srinagar said scores of shells hit Hajinar in the past 24 hours. Minister of State for Home Mustaq Ahmad told Rediff On The NeT that several shells hit the army hospital in Tangdar.

The state government has rushed in medical teams and ambulances to Uri to evacuate injured people. Seven people have already been shifted to Srinagar for treatment.

The chief secretary, during his visit to Baramullah, directed the district administration to advise people to take precautions to minimise human loss. Jaitley held discussions with senior officials from the army, the Border Security Force and the district administrations of Baramullah and Kupwara. He took stock of the situation arising from the heavy firing.

An official spokesperson in Srinagar said the chief secretary expressed the state government's concern to the army over the "full-scale" firing along the border.

Kargil town was deserted as people fled to adjoining areas. Today shells hit the town and adjoining Hardoman and Kaksar areas. A report from Poonch in Jammu region said one civilian was killed at Dhabi Dhargloon area of Mendhar due to the shelling. Firing on the border was reported from Hiranagar and R S Pora sectors.

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