BSF jawan, woman injured as Pakistan target Indian villages in Rajouri

Jammu: A BSF jawan and a woman were injured and two houses damaged today when Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors of Rajouri district with mortar attacks and small arms fire, prompting the army to give a "befitting response".

The firing in Sunderbani sector is the second ceasefire violation by the Pakistani side in less than six hours today.

A BSF jawan was injured in the ongoing cross-border firing along the Line of Control(LoC) in Rajouri, a BSF official said in the evening.

A woman was injured in the firing in another incident earlier in the day.

"A woman identified as Shanti Devi (55) was injured and two houses were damaged in the heavy mortar shelling by the Pakistan army in the Khamba village in the Nowshera sector," a police officer said.

He said the injured lady has been shifted to the Sub District Hospital, Nowshera, for treatment.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan army resorted to ceasefire violation in the Nowshera sector and in the afternoon they started firing in the Sunderbani sector targeting Indian posts and civilian areas.

"Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Nowshera sector from 1030 hours using 120 mm mortars and small arms fire. Our army is giving a befitting response to the Pakistani fire," a defence spokesman said.

"Pakistan army resorted to ceasefire violation in the Sunderbani Sector using 120 mm mortars, automatic and small arms from 1410 hrs and it is being responded to befittingly by own troops," the spokesman said.

On Thursday, Pakistani army had targeted Indian posts and civilian villages along the LoC in the Pallanwala sector of the Jammu district.

Pakistani troops on Tuesday targeted Indian posts with heavy firing and shelling for four hours along the LoC in Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, forcing Indian troops to retaliate.

There has been a whopping 286 incidents of firing and shelling along the LoC and International Border(IB) in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani troops that have resulted in the death of 26 people, including 14 security personnel, since the surgical strike on terrorist launch pads in PoK on September 29.