Woman killed, three others injured in Pak shelling on LoC

Tribune News Service

Jammu/Srinagar, July 8

A 60-year-old woman was killed and another injured after Pakistan targeted forward posts and villages with mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district.

Two more civilians were injured in the ceasefire violation in the Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district in Kashmir.

The deceased has been identified as Rasham Bi, a resident of Lanjote village in Mendhar. The 58-year-old Hakam Bi of the same village received splinter injuries and was being treated.

Jammu-based Defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing and intense shelling in Balakote and Mendhar sectors of Poonch around 2 am on the intervening night of July 7 and July 8.

“The Army retaliated befittingly. The firing stopped about 2.45 am,” he said.

Poonch SSP RK Angral said a woman lost her life while another received splinter injuries. “However, no injury was reported to any Army personnel,” he said.

Sources said, “One of the women died on the spot while the police shifted the injured woman to the nearby primary health centre in Dhargloon, where she was referred to Government Medical College, Rajouri.”

Later in the day, Pakistan also violated the truce in north Kashmir's Tangdhar sector in which two civilians were injured.

“Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LoC in Tangdhar Sector, in the afternoon hours by firing mortars and other weapons. Befitting response is being given. Two civilians were injured,” the Army said in statement.  

Last month, India lost five soldiers to Pakistan shelling along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri sectors, while four civilians and two soldiers have been killed in different ceasefire violations on LoC in north Kashmir since January this year.