One villager injured as Pakistan fires on Indian civilian areas in J&K

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire on Tuesday morning in the RS Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir. One villager has been injured in the firing in which Pakistani forces are targeting Indian civilian areas.

This is the 60th ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the last 50 days.

Civilian hamlets and posts with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs were fired along the IB and LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts, drawing retaliation from the Army and BSF.

There have been 45 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord in August and over 240 ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pak border in 2015. "There was unprovoked firing of small arms and mortar bombs by Pakistan Rangers from 2200 hours last night on five Border Out Posts (BoPs) along the International Border (IB) in Arnia and R S Pura sectors intermittently", BSF spokesman said.

The firing continued during the night in Arnia and RS Pura Sector intermittently, he said, adding that five BSF outposts in the area were targeted. "Earlier, the fire was with smalls arms. Later on 82 mortar bombs were also fired by the Rangers. When left with no option, BSF troops retaliated the fire befittingly", the spokesman said.

"The firing and shelling continued till 0500 hours this morning. No loss of men and material has been reported so far from BSF", he said.

However, a civilian identified as 38-year-old Subhash Chander sustained a bullet injury on his foot at Sai Khurdin in Arnia sector. He is being treated at Government Sub-District Hospital in R S Pura, he said.

PRO, Defence, Jammu, Col Manish Mehta said that "Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Poonch sector and Balakote overnight and shelled forward posts and civilian areas with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs.

"There was unprovoked violations by Pak army in Poonch sector using 82mm mortars from 0045 hours to 0330 hours today and the CFV which commenced in Balakot sector last evening at 1900 hours continued till midnight using 120 mm mortar bombs", Col Mehta said.

"We retaliated at both places effectively. No casualty to our troops till last reports came in", he said.

On the intervening night of August 16-17, Pakistan troops had resorted to ceasefire violations in Saujiyan and Mandi sectors of Poonch district and shelled forward posts and civilian areas with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs and heavy machine guns (HMGs). Pak troops had also shelled Balakote sector on Monday.