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Pak shelling kills 9 soldiers in Turtuk

Pakistani troops resorted to heavy artillery shelling at one of India's newly established posts in the Turtuk sector last evening, killing at least nine soldiers and injuring 10 others.

The Indian side retaliated to the firing, but the number of casualties suffered by the Pakistanis was not immediately known.

A defence spokesman told United News of India in Udhampur today that the Pakistani artillery fired almost 400 rounds -- 52 rounds from heavy-calibre weapons and about 335 rounds of mortar fire -- at Point 5685 on the Line of Control.

The spokesman said nine jawans died on the spot while 10 others and two civilian porters were injured in the shelling.

The shelling continued till 0330 IST today.

Meanwhile, the exchange of fire between the Pakistani Rangers and the Border Security Force on the international border in Karanpur area of Bikaner sector in Rajasthan continued for the second day today.

According to BSF sources, the Pakistani Rangers began firing at the Harmukh border post when the BSF jawans objected to the construction of bunkers by the Pakistanis barely 150 metres from the border.

BSF sources suspect that the firing was the work of the regular Pakistani Army.

The continued firing has created tension in the area. Bikaner goes to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election tomorrow.

According to BSF sources, six Pakistani Rangers are believed to have been killed or seriously injured in yesterday's firing. Today, two Rangers are thought to have been killed or injured.

On the Indian side, Commandant Manaram Patel of the 54 Battalion was injured. He has been shifted to base hospital in Bikaner.

A flag meeting between the commanders of the Pakistani Rangers and the BSF was to be held today, but was scuttled by the continued firing.

UNI

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