Srinagar: Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to heavy mortar shelling along International Border in RS Pura and Arnia sectors of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, killing 3 civilian and injuring 16 others.
Subhash Chander, 45, and Bimla Devi, 42, both residents of Sai Khurd village, and Pawan Kumar, 55, who lived in Abdullian village, were killed.
The firing and mortar shelling started around 0145 hours along the IB in Kishanpur, Jora Form, Jugnu Chak, Nawapind, harna, Sia, Abdullian and Chandu Chak areas, a police officer said.
Police said the Pakistani side also used automatics and machine guns to fire indiscriminately in the area. Many civilians areas have come under heavy shelling by Pakistan.
BSF troops guarding the border retaliated resulting in heavy exchanges which are going on when the reports last came in from the area, they said.
There have been 51 violations of the border ceasefire agreement of 2003 by Pakistan in August and over 245 ceasefire violations this year so far.
On August 16, a woman was killed and five persons were injured as Pakistani troops fired 120 mm and 82 mm mortars bombs, HMGs and RPGs on border posts and civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts.
On Independence Day, five civilians, including a sarpanch, were killed and five others injured in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas.
Last month, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14 others injured.
