Three of family, including 9-month-old, killed due to heavy shelling by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch

Three members of a family were killed and two others injured due to heavy shelling at Salotri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Friday, as Pakistan violated ceasefire at various places along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistani forces, News18 reported, targeted civilian areas with mortar bombs and heavy guns, including Howitzer 105 mms. Officials said Indian forces had retaliated effectively.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three members of a family were killed in shelling by Pakistan, in Poonch district's Krishna Ghati sector, last night. pic.twitter.com/kqCsnf6RFH

— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2019

Twenty-four-year-old Rubana Kosar, her five-year-old son Fazan and nine-month-old daughter Shabnam, were killed in the shelling. Rubana’s husband Mohammad Yunis was injured, they said. Earlier in the day, a woman, identified as Naseem Akhtar, was injured in firing by Pakistani forces in the Mankote area of Poonch, officials said. Pakistan first violated ceasefire at around 6 pm, in Nowshera, Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors of Rajouri and Poonch sectors on Friday, reported ANI. Reports by Indian Express said the firing was unprovoked and took place at Gawahalan, Chokas, Kiker and Kathi posts in the Uri sector. Pakistani forces have been shelling areas along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts for eight consecutive days in violation of the ceasefire agreement with India. On Thursday , a woman was killed and a jawan was injured. On Thursday, ANI had reported that bunkers were being constructed in the last village of the Poonch sector in order to ensure the safety of locals residing there. The village, identified as Karamara, is one that has been on the receiving end of constant firing in the wake of escalated tension along the India-Pakistan border. Locals also alleged that bullets and mortars are fired from both ends. Speaking to ANI, Ayaz Khan, a local, said, “Firing happens here daily. I have grown up seeing this. For the last five to 10 days, a lot of bunkers have been built.” The past weeks have witnessed cross-border firing on a daily basis, ever since 42 Central Reserve Police Force personnel lost their lives in the 14 February terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama. The Pakistan Army has violated ceasefire more than 60 times during the last one week. Two weeks after the attack, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched airstrikes targeting terror training camps in Pakistan’s Balakot. A day after India carried out air strikes, Jammu and Kashmir saw heightened military activity, with Pakistani jets violating the Indian air space and dropping some bombs in Rajouri sector after which one of their fighter jets was shot down. India said it had foiled a strike attempt by Pakistan on 27 February by shooting down an F-16 fighter plane while losing its own MiG-21 jet. The pilot of the jet, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was detained in Pakistan and released on Friday . With inputs from PTI