Tension grips locals along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir following ceasefire violations by Pakistan; authorities order evacuation

Jammu: Tension gripped people living close to the international border and the Line of Control (LoC) on Saturday in the Jammu region as authorities ordered closure of schools. “All schools within five kilometre radius of the LoC and the international border shall remain closed for three days,” officials of the provincial administration said in Jammu. [caption id=“attachment_4194113” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Four persons including two troopers and two civilians were killed on Friday in widespread ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops. Two civilians including a woman and a youth were killed and 24 others including two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers and 22 civilians were injured in Pakistan shelling and firing on the international border. A BSF head constable was killed on Friday in Samba sector while an army soldier was killed in Sunderbani sector of the LoC in Rajouri district. Over a dozen cattle have also been killed in indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan Rangers on the international border. Over 20 outposts of the BSF were targeted by Pakistan rangers in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts on the international border on Friday. Migration of civilians started on Friday evening in RS Pura, Ramgarh and Suchetgarh areas close to the international border. Authorities have made arrangements in makeshift camps for border residents although this migration has been from isolated places so far not involving a large number of border villagers so far.