Baramulla: Heavy exchange of gunfire and shelling between Indian and Pakistani troops along Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara resulted in killing of a civilian and two army soldiers on Sunday.
The exchange of fire along mountainous region of Kupwara’s Karnah village began on Saturday night and continued till dawn on Sunday. It caused severe damages to houses with authorities still assessing the damages.
According to police, Muhammad Sidiq Joo of Gundishot was killed in the firing and six more civilians were injured during cross-LoC clashes.
Station House Officer Tanghdar Waseem Ahmad confirmed the killing of the civilian and said wounded have been shifted to the hospitals.
Army defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia confirmed the killing of two soldiers in Pakistan firing.
Villagers described it as worst-ever exchange of shelling since the two countries signed ceasefire agreement in 2003.
A local who did not want to be named said that the exchange was so severe that many people left to safety during the night. He said several houses got damaged in the shelling.
The firing mostly hit villages adjoining the LoC including Cheemari, Kikarkote, Gundishot , Bragala, Dederkote, Rela, Chitarkoot.
The locals said that firing also resulted in damage to many cattle sheds in the area.
Meanwhile, an Indian Army official blamed Pakistani Army for initiating unprovoked ceasefire violations to assist infiltration by militants in Tanghdar village.
“As a result calibrated escalation of area weapons was undertaken by the Indian side in which terrorist launch pads and several Pakistan Army posts giving incidental protection to these launch pads and certain gun positions were hit,” the official said.
Pakistan army said on Sunday that at least nine Indian soldiers were killed and several injured in the fierce exchange of fire across the Line of Control, but Indian Army sources rejected its claim.
On the other hand, Pakistan army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted that Pakistan also lost one soldier and three civilians in the LoC clashes.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PaK), Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner Badar Munir told media that the areas in Nauseri sector of district Muzaffarabad and its adjoining Jura sector of Neelum Valley were the worst hit.
With PTI inputs

Mushtaq Ahamd