Jammu and Kashmir: Five civilians killed, two injured in shelling by Pakistan Army along LoC in Poonch district

Five members of a family were killed and two others injured in heavy shelling by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Sunday, a senior police officer said. The injured are being shifted to the hospital.

Army PRO Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bimber Gali started around 7.45 am. “They are specifically targeting civilian areas,” he said.

Director General of Police SP Vaid said, “Due to shelling from across (LoC) in Balakote sector of Poonch, five civilians of a family died & two are injured who are being shifted to the hospital”.

Due to shelling from across in Balakote sector of Poonch 5 civilians of a family died & 2 are injured who are being shifted to hospital.

— Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) March 18, 2018

The civilian casualties occurred in Devta Dhar village when a shell hit the house of Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, a police official said.

The dead include the house owner, a woman, a boy and a minor girl, he said.

The police official said heavy shelling was going on from both the sides. Army troops retaliated strongly and effectively to silence Pakistani guns, he said.

Sources told IANS that the district administration has started shifting the civilians living close to the LoC to safer places. 

SD Singh Jamwal, IGP Jammu, told ANI that helicopters have been sent to retrieve the injured for specialised treatment in Jammu.

In village Devta 5 people died, 2 injured. We're assessing situation. Our teams are already on spot. Helicopters sent to retrieve the injured for specialised treatment in Jammu. Firing is going on: SD Singh Jamwal, IGP Jammu on ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Balakote sector pic.twitter.com/SHMTDkMOcz

— ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2018

With inputs from agencies