A 45-year-old civilian was injured in heavy overnight mortarshelling by Pakistan Rangers along the International Border (IB) in Kathuadistrict of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.
Bodh Raj suffered splinter injuries when a mortar shellexploded near his house in Manyari area of Hiranagar sector in the early hoursof the day. He was shifted to sub-district hospital Hiranagar and dischargedafter treatment, the officials said.
The shelling and firing from across the border in Manyariand adjoining villages started at 9.35 pm on Monday and continued through thenight, prompting strong and effective retaliation by Border Security Force (BSF)personnel guarding the border, they said.
A woman, Rekha Rani also fell unconscious and several houseswere damaged due to heavy shelling by Pakistan, which created panic among theborder residents who were forced to spend the night in underground bunkers,they said.
The shelling ended around5 am, the officials said, addingthat the casualties suffered by Pakistan was not known immediately.
Pakistan has intensified shelling in Manyari and adjoiningvillages of Hiranagar sector over the last week to stall some construction workbeing undertaken by the BSF to strengthen counter-infiltration grid, theofficials said.
Meanwhile, a defence spokesperson said Pakistan alsoinitiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shellingwith Mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonchdistrict on Monday evening.
“The firing and shelling started around 8.15 pm andlasted for several hours,” the spokesman said, adding that the Indian armyretaliated befittingly.
There was no report of any damage on our side, thespokesperson further said.