Intense shelling across LoC continued in several sectors ofRajouri and Poonch districts on Thursday, leading to the death of a woman whilethree others were injured including an army man on leave.
Sources said the shelling started at about 6 AM in KrishnaGhati sector and forward areas of Mendhar sub division in Poonch district.
“The shelling continued throughout the day with highintensity and was going on when last reports poured in,” an official toldGreater Kashmir.
He said that many shells landed few kilometres from Mendhartown which spread panic in the area.
The official said that Pakistani forces started the shellingon “civilian areas” in Chajjla, Nar Mankote, Mankote, KG forward. “Few housesalso got damaged in the shelling,” the official said.
Meanwhile, a 32 years old woman identified as Amina Akhterdaughter of Mohammad Sadiq of Chajjla was killed when a mortar shell explodednear her. “The splinters pierced her body and she died on the spot,” sourcessaid.
Besides, Zakir Hussain son of Abdul Hamid resident ofBalnoi, an army man who was on leave at home, was injured when he was moving inthe fields. “A mortar shell landed in the fields and he received multiplesplinters injuries,” sources said.
The injured was moved to sub district hospital Mendhar andlater shifted to army hospital.
In shelling, another woman namely Naseem Akhter, 28, wife ofMohammad Younis of Nar Mankote was also injured and was shifted to sub districthospital Mendhar where she is under treatment.
BMO Mendhar, Dr Parvez Khan told Greater Kashmir that thewoman (Amina Akhter) was brought dead while two others who were injured werebeing treated in the sub district hospital. “Later, the injured army personnelwho was on leave was shifted to army hospital Rajouri.”
Deputy commissioner Poonch, Rahul Yadav told Greater Kashmirthat one woman died while two others were injured as “Pakistani army targetedcivil areas in Mankote, Nar Mankote and Chajjla”.
He said a cattle-shed was fully damaged while some otherstructures were partially harmed in the shelling.
The DC said that schools falling within five kilometresradius along the LoC remained closed on Thursday and shall remain so on Fridayalso as the situation along LoC is tense.
Similarly, in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, theshelling that started at about 02:15 PM, continued heavily till late eveningand was going on till the last reports were received.
An official of police told Greater Kashmir that mortarshells fired from the other side initially fell on Line of Control but laterthe firing escalated and several civilian areas including Deeing, Kalal,Kalsian, Baba Khori, Ghanya came under intense shelling and dozens of shellsfell in human habitation.
He said a woman identified as Kailash Devi wife of ParshotamKumar of Kalsian Nowshera received a splinter injury in mortar shelling and wasshifted to Nowshera sub district hospital where she is under treatment and outof danger.
It has also been learnt that several structures also gotdamaged in cross border shelling in Nowshera sector.
Alongside this, cross border firing and shelling also tookplace in Khari Karmara and Degwar areas of Poonch sector.
There was firing also in Sunderbani sector in Rajouridistrict for about an hour from 4 PM onwards after which uneasy calm isprevailing in the sector.