3 Kashmiri Civilians Killed In LOC Shelling

Srinagar, Oct 16: Three Kashmiri civilians, including a pregnant woman, where killed when mortar shells fired from across the dividing Line of Control (LOC) landed in Uri sector in north Kashmir Tuesday, army authorities said.
“At approximately 1030 hours, Pakistani troops deployed across the LoC opposite the Uri sector started firing heavy caliber weapons on the houses of civilians of Churunda Village, resulting in the death of three civilians. The victims have been identified as 15-year-old Mohammad Liaquat, 32-year-old Mohammad Shafiq and 20-year-old Shaheena, an army spokesman in Srinagar said.
Pakistani troops have been carrying out unprovoked firing since Oct 3 in the Uri sector. Indian troops have been exercising maximum restraint because of the ceasefire agreement that is in place between the two sides,” he said.
Meanwhile General Officer Commanding 19th Infantry Division, stationed at Baramullha, Major General Bipin Rawat said evening that Pakistan had been violating the cease fire since Oct. 03. They have been resorting to unprovoked firing since Oct. 03. In fact we lodged a protest on 4th of October but despite that firing continues in the area. Maj. General said.
“Indian troops did retaliate only in the Tuesday morning but with utmost care was taken so that no civilian casualties took place on the other side of the control line, he claimed.
He further said that Indian army did not want that any civilians from either side of the fence should be targeted, however he reiterated that given the intensity of the motor shelling from Pakistani rangers there was no ambiguity in saying that Pakistani Rangers deliberately targeted the civilian population on Tuesday morning. Given the intensity of the shelling I dont feel any hesitation in telling that Pak intentionally and deliberately targeted civilian population in Churanda this morning. KNS quoted GOC as saying.
He however said that Indian army was going to launch a fresh protest with Pakistan in the coming days. We are going to lodge strong protest against the killing of the civilians in the unprovoked firing from Pakistan which was also a cease fire violation. He however said that the firing had stopped from Tuesday afternoon.
Army sources said that Pakistan Rangers guarding the international border in the Jammu region of the state have also violated the ceasefire many times during the last one month.
Two villagers were injured in unprovoked firing across the international border by Pakistan Rangers in Samba district in Jammu region earlier this month, they added.

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