3 civilians killed in Pak shelling in J-K’s Poonch district

Jammu, July 17

Three members of a family were killed when Pakistani troops shelled various forward areas and civilian places along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday, prompting the Indian Army to give a befitting reply, officials said.

"At around 2120 hours on Friday, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and resorting to shelling of mortars along the LoC in Gulpur sector of Poonch district," a defence spokesperson said.

Pakistan army also shelled heavily the hamlets along the LoC in Khari Karmara sector, officials said.

A shell landed on a house in Karmara village in which Mohd Rafiq (58), his wife Rafia Bi (50) and son Irfan (15) died on the spot, they said, adding that some houses have been damaged and a few people injured.

"The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly," the officials said.

Firing and shelling between the two sides were going on when the last report came in. PTI