In one of the worst ceasefire violations by Pakistan in recent months, five civilians, including two women and a teenage girl, were killed while 29 others were injured when Pakistani Rangers fired at civilian areas of Arnia sector in Jammu and Kashmir early on Monday.
The incident comes in succession to relentless cross-border violations by Pakistan over the past few days, wherein Pakistani troops have resorted to "unprovoked" mortar shelling and automatic weapon firing targeting Border Security Forces (BSF) posts and civilian areas
"So far, 29 people, most of them civilians, have been injured in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan. The firing is still going on. The Pakistani Rangers are using mortars and automatic weapons in the attack," a senior police officer told IANS. According to officials, the shelling was so heavy that mortar shells reached up to four kilometres from the border.
Indian troops are responding "effectively and appropriately", Army spokesperson Lt Col Manish Mehta said.
Indian troops also stopped an infiltration bid along the border and gunned down three LeT terrorists in the Tanghdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The troops recovered AK-47 rifles and night-vision goggles from the militants, according to news channel reports.
Several civilians have succumbed to the continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistan in recent months.
On 3 October, a teenage girl was killed in Pakistani firing while six were injured. Since 1 October, Pakistan has violated ceasefire several times, targeting border hamlets, forcing evacuation of residents.
These consistent firing and infiltration incidents are testament to the "proxy war" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to during his address in the state in August.
"The neighbouring country has lost the strength to fight a conventional war, but continues to engage in the proxy war of terrorism," Modi had said, adding that more Indian armed forces have been succumbing to acts of terror than war.
