Cross loC Trade Centre, located close to the line of Control in Chakan-da-bagh area of Poonch, was hit by 82 mm mortar shells fired by the Pakistan Army in second incident of ‘unprovoked’ ceasefire violation in the last three days on Sunday.
According to ground reports several civilian houses also took the brunt of the heavy shelling by Pakistan Army in forward villages of Poonch sector. In response the Indian Army jawans too responded appropriately using similar calibre of weapons to silence the Pakistani guns.
This is for the first time after its inception that the trade centre has been hit by the Pakistan Army. Significantly, the trade centre was never hit by the Pakistan Army even at the peak of hostilities last year.
Due to intense cross border firing tension gripped all those villages falling in the direct line of fire in the area.
According to field reports intermittent firing continued for over two hours in the area.
According to local villagers, which remained huddled inside their houses for most part of the day, Pak army used 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons to target the forward Indian villages and army posts.
A local villager Mohd Bashir claimed, the trade centre in Chakan-da-bagh area was hit by Pakistan Army shells in the afternoon. He said several houses in Khari Karmara area too were hit during intense shelling by Pakistan in the forward area.
A policeman on duty in the trade centre said, “one block of the cross loC trade centre was hit by Pak shells and the walls of the building bore the maximum brunt.” According to him the policeman present in the building escaped unhurt as he ducked on the grund to prevent any splinter injury.”
This is the second incident of ceasefire violation in the Poonch sector in the last one week. An Indian army jawan was martyred on March 9 in unprovoked firing by Pakistan Army.
Defence spokesman in Jammu said, “The Pakistan Army violated ceasefire agreement in Krishna Ghati sector and Chakan-da-bagh area of Poonch around 12.00 pm. Pakistan Army used 82 mm mortars, automatic weapons to target the forward Indian posts,” the spokesman added.