Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked heavy shelling and firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector in frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara on Tuesday.
The ceasefire violation in Tangdhar sector comes just two days after Pakistan resorted to shelling and firing from across the LoC in Baramulla’s Uri sector, where over 50 families have been evacuated to safer places in view of tension on the border.
Defence Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia told UNI that Pakistani troops, violating the 2003 ceasefire, fired mortar shells in the morning hours of Tuesday, targeting forward posts and civilian areas in Tangdhar sector.
He said Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire lasted for some time. He added that no one was injured in the shelling.
Col Kalia said Indian Army has targeted Pakistan troops position with high precision.
This was the sixth violation by Pakistan troops in the area during the past over one week in North Kashmir. A woman was killed and two others were injured in Pak ceasefire violation in Uri, where several structures were damaged in the shelling in civilian area. People, who have migrated to safer places, are demanding construction of individual and community bankers in the areas directly under the target of Pakistan troops near LoC.
Pakistan has been violating ceasefire frequently in north Kashmir for the last two months that has left several civilians and soldiers dead.
Official sources said that Pakistan troops are violating ceasefire to facilitate militants to infiltrate into Kashmir valley. “A large number of militants are waiting at launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to sneak into this side,” they said.
However, they said despite facing all odds, Indian troops remained on high alert along the Line of Control (LoC) to foil any militant attempt to infiltrate into this side.
There were a total of 646 incidents of ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB) as well as the LoC between January 1 and February 23 this year, an official said.
He said over 3,200 ceasefire violations by Pakistan’s troops were recorded in 2019.