Pakistan violates ceasefire at LoC for second day in row

Jammu: The Pakistani army on Sunday targeted forward posts and villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district with heavy firing and shelling, violating ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) for the second day in a row, an army official said.

The firing of small arms and shelling with mortars started in Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors around 10 am, drawing strong and befitting retaliation by the Indian army guarding the LoC, the official said.

There was no immediate report of any casualty in the Pakistani firing, the official said. Official sources said panic gripped the border residents in the two sectors as the shelling from Pakistani side was intense, causing damage to at least one residential house.

The cross-border firing was going on when last reports were received, the sources said. On Saturday, Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing and shelling in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors in nearby Poonch district.

Indian troops retaliated befittingly and the exchange of fire between the two sides continued throughout the day but there was no report of any casualty.

The latest round of firing and shelling from Pakistan ended nearly a week-long lull in the shelling along the LoC. On September 1, an army personnel was killed when Pakistani army targeted forward posts and villages in Shahpur-Kerni sector, raising the death toll in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri since July to eight -- six soldiers and two civilians.