Two civilians, including a minor, killed in cross-border firing: Pak Army

The Pakistan Army on Sunday said two civilians, including a minor, were killed in cross-border firing with the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Hotsprings and Kot Kotera sectors in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. An army statement claimed that the "Indian Army resorted to unprovoked firing" in Hotsprings and Kot Kotera sectors. A 45-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were killed, while another woman was injured in the firing, it said.

"Pakistan Army troops responded effectively and targeted those posts which initiated fire," the statement said. Earlier in the day, Indian officials in Jammu said an Army officer and a porter were injured as Pakistan army resorted to heavy mortar shelling and small arms firing on forward posts and villages along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. While the colonel-rank officer was injured in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district, the 25-year-old porter suffered splinter injuries when a mortar shell exploded near him in Keri sector of Rajouri district, they said.

A defence spokesman also said Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked shelling and firing from across the border in the two sectors at around 11 am, prompting the Indian Army to give a befitting response. The officials said the shelling was intense in both the sectors, causing panic among the people who were asked to stay indoors to avoid any casualty.

(With inputs from agencies.)