A five-year-old girl, a woman and a Border Security Force officer were killed and 18 others injured as the Indian and Pakistani armies exchanged gunfire along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.
A ceasefire violation by Pakistan was reported at around7.45am in Poonch, an official said, leading to intense exchange of firing andshelling between the two sides.
“The LoC villages including Shahpur, Kirni, Mandhar andBandi Chechian were badly affected with the shelling, which continuedthroughout the day,” the official said, adding that the exchange of firingrattled several civilian areas.
Medical superintendent of district hospital Poonch, DrShamim told Greater Kashmir that 13 civilians who were reportedly injured incross-border firing were brought to the district hospital, where a team ofdoctors provided them medical aid.
She said a five-year-old girl, identified as Sobia Shafiq,daughter of Muhammad Shafiq—a resident of Bandi Chichian, was brought dead tothe hospital.
“Among 13 injured, six had critical injuries, while fourwere airlifted to the government medical college and hospital (GMC&H) Jammuin a chopper. Two were sent to the GMC&H in an ambulance,” she said.
“Two of the six critically-injured persons had very serioustype of injuries. One of them had his gut badly ruptured due to a splinter,” DrShamim said.
Meanwhile, in Krishna Ghati area of Poonch district, aBorder Security Force officer was killed and four personnel of the force—andalso an army official—were injured in cross-border firing, according toofficials and reports.
An army soldier posted along the LoC in KG Mankote areareceived injuries in cross-border firing and was evacuated to a local healthfacility where he is stated to be stable, the officials said.
In another incident in KG area, a BSF inspector and fourpersonnel of the force were injured and evacuated to a health facility, wherethe commander succumbed, they said. “Four other BSF personnel are undertreatment,” the official said.
A Jammu-based army spokesman confirmed the killing of a BSFinspector “during Pak shelling at LoC in Poonch area”. “Four more injuredpersonnel are out of danger,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, cross-border firing in Poonch stopped at around4pm but was going on intermittently in KG area of Mendhar, according toofficials.
Meanwhile, attendants accompanying those injured in thecross-border firing in Poonch Monday protested the “inordinate delay” inairlifting of the critically-injured persons. The protesters raised slogansagainst the district administration and alleged that it “failed to come to therescue of the injured persons”.
“Even after three hours of shelling, the required helpdidn’t come to the shelling victims,” the protesters said, alleging thatairlifting of critically-injured persons was delayed for hours “due to delay inarrival of a chopper”.
The protesters also blocked the road while the deputycommissioner Poonch was trying to enter the district hospital to review thehealth services being provided to the injured persons there.
However, the protest was later called off.
Meanwhile, the officials said six houses were damaged in theintense shelling by Pakistani forces.
Pakistan used heavy weaponry and 120mm mortar bombs totarget scores of civilian areas along LoC in Poonch, triggering panic amongborder residents, they said. This is the fourth consecutive day that Pakistanhas violated ceasefire in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, they said.
Mortar shells landed in villages of Qasba, Mankote, Kerni,Guntariyan and Shahpur, forcing people to stay indoors, officials said.
As a precautionary measure, all schools in shelling-hitareas have been closed, they added.
Meanwhile, a woman was killed while her son was among fourpersons injured in fresh shelling on Line of Control in Mendhar’s KG sector,officials said.
Block medical officer Mendhar, Dr Parvez Ahmed Khan said awoman identified as 35-year-old Shajat Bi wife of Mohammad Yaqoob, resident of Balnoi villageof Mendhar, got injured in shelling and later succumbed.
He said the deceased woman’s son was got injured and hasbeen referred to Rajouri district hospital. He has been identified as IrfanAhmed.
The BMO further said that three more woman were seriouslyinjured in the cross-border shelling. These include Chana Bi, 80, wife of Kala;Tasveer Akther, 22, wife of Muhammad Shakeel and Yasmeen Akther, daughter ofAbdul Aziz—all resident of Nar Mankote village.
After being given initial treatment locally, all injuredwere referred to district hospital Rajouri for specialised treatment, the BMOsaid.
(with HUSSAIN MOHTASHIM/Sumit Bhargav/PTI inputs