Army jawan killed, civilian injured in Pak shelling in villages

An Army jawan was killed and a civilian injured when the Pakistani army heavily shelled villages and forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Thursday, the fourth day of unprovoked ceasefire violation, officials said.The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he said. The jawan who was killed in the Pakistani firing, Naik Gurcharan Singh, was from Gurdaspur district in Punjab.

An Army jawan was killed and a civilian injured when the Pakistani army heavily shelled villages and forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Thursday, the fourth day of unprovoked ceasefire violation, officials said. Several houses were damaged in the Pakistani shelling with heavy mortars and guided missiles that began last night in over a dozen villages in Nowshera and Balakote sectors, triggering panic among residents who took shelters in underground bunkers.

Six houses have been damaged and several animals killed, they said. "On Thursday at about 1945 hours, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with mortars along LoC in Mankote sector in Poonch district," a defence spokesman said.

An hour later, Pakistan again violated the ceasefire, they said. The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he said.

The jawan who was killed in the Pakistani firing, Naik Gurcharan Singh, was from Gurdaspur district in Punjab. "Naik Gurcharan Singh was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," he said.