Ahead of the beginning of holy month of Ramzan, the Pakistan Army has deliberately scaled up tensions along the Line of Control in frontier Poonch district.
On Monday, the Pakistan Army violated ceasefire agreement for the fifth time in a row since Thursday.
Local villagers living in the direct line of fire also pressed panic buttons on Monday as several shells landed in the civilian areas.
Following intense shelling in the forward areas some of the thickly forested areas also caught fire.
According to preliminary reports, a BSF officer along with two civilians received splinter injuries during ‘unprovoked’ ceasefire violation along the line of control in
Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch on Monday.
The civilians, injured in the shelling, were identified as Ashiq Hussain and Masood Ahmad, both residents of Mankote area in Poonch.
BSF spokesman in Jammu said, “Ceasefire violation was reported along LoC in Mendhar, during retaliatory fire a Sub Inspector Gokul Anand Ojha of 168 BN received splinter injuries on his left thigh. BSF spokesman said, “injured officer was evacuated to a near by hospital and his condition is stated to be normal”.
Ministry of Defence PRO in Jammu, Lt-Col Devender Anand said, the unprovoked ceasefire violation was reported in KG sector around 2.45 p.m. He said, Pakistan army initiated ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms. The firing was going on till 6.30 p.m in the forward areas of KG sector, local reports said.
In response to heavy artillery firing from across the line of control, Indian army jawans too retaliated ‘effectively’ and ‘strongly’ using similar calibre of weapons.
Ground reports suggested Pakistan army has been constantly using artillery guns to target civilian areas.
At present, the Indian army authorities are closely studying the pattern of cross LoC firing as they fear Pakistan army may have been providing cover fire to a large group of infiltrators to sneak inside the Indian territory. However, the Indian army has not confirmed any reports of infiltration bid in the area from across the line of control.