In a major escalation, eight civilians were killed and eighteen injured due to heavy cross-border firing and shelling in Jammu Division by Pakistani troopers on Tuesday.
Officials said five people died and nine others were injured in the shelling in Ramgarh sector of Samba district today while one person died due to shock during shelling in the same area, raising the toll of those killed in the area to six. The casualties took place during shelling in Jarda and Rangoor camp villages along the IB in Ramgarh sector, they according to reports said.
In Rajouri district along the LoC, two women were killed in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Panjgrian border hamlet in Manjakote belt of Rajouri district, the official reports said. In Mendhar, Balakote and Mankote sectors of Poonch district, the shelling which began at 9:40 am, left six injured, out of which two were referred to Rajouri Hospital and one to GMC Jammu.
The shells also landed in the Mendhar market, leaving entire deserted. According to army, Pakistan troops resorted to heavy shelling of hamlets and military posts in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC). The Pakistani troops used heavy calibre weapons like 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs, army said.
The people in Balakote sector of Poonch said that no arrangements of ambulances have been made by State Government and people have been left at the mercy of God. “Not only Balakote, there is no arrangement in entire Poonch of disaster management. There are no ambulances and medical facilitates. It is people who help each other,” they said.(GNS)