Pak shells forward areas along LoC in Poonch

The Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Monday, prompting a befitting reply from the Indian side, officials said here. The Pakistani troopers carried out attacks on forward posts with guided missiles, they added.

"At about 2030 hours today, the Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch district," a defense spokesman said. The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he added.

Pakistan on Sunday carried out heavy shelling in four sectors in Poonch and Rajouri districts, in which Mohammad Yasir, a resident of Gohlad, received splinter injuries when a mortar shell exploded near his house, the officials said. They said over half a dozen villages in forward areas were hit by the overnight shelling, resulting in partial damage to two houses.

Due to the overnight shelling, panic-stricken people in border areas spent the whole night in bunkers and other safe places, the officials added.