Kupwara: Three civilians including a minor and woman were killed and several others got injured as mortal shells fired from across the LoC rattle Kupwara district in north Kashmir on Sunday afternoon. Many residential houses and a car got also got damaged in the shelling.
A top police official said that three civilians, two from Reddi,Chowkibal and a minor from Timuna Vilgam village of Kupwara were killed and several others got injured when some shells fired by Pakistani side hit the civilian areas creating panic and chaos among civilian population.
He said that the injured were immediately evacuated to nearby health facilities. However, three of them succumbed to injuries on the way and were declared brought dead by the doctors at the respective Primary Health Centers.
The officer identified the slain as Shamima Begum wife of Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, Javid Ahmad Khan (16) son of late Ghulam Rasool Khan, both residents of Reddi Chowkibal and Zeehsan Bashir (8) son of Bashir Ahmad Khatana of Tumna.
He said that the jurisdiction comes under two different police districts, among the three killed, two come under Kupwara and the other under Handwara police district.
“Two civilians including a lady were killed who belong to Chowkibal Kupwara and the minor belongs to Timuna, Vilgam jurisdiction of Handwara police,” he said.
An Army official said that Pakistani troopers resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation creating fear among the local population and targeted the posts of Indian Army and civilian localities.
They said that the initial fire started from Hajitara, Dhani and later spread to the areas like Manzgam, Malikpora, TCP, Hafrada, Kralpora and Tumna Hachimarg Chowkibal.
A residential house and a vehicle, hit by shells, got damaged.
The injured were identified as Ghulam Hassan Pir (60) of Reddi who has been hit in his left arm, Farooq Ahmad Kataria, Bashir Ahmad Kataria, Lal Din Chichee, Saima (12) and Sabiya, daughters of Siraj-ud-Din Badana and 16-year-old Imtiyaz Ahmad Khatria, all residents of Tumina.
“Unprovoked ceasefire violation initiated by Pakistan in Keran Sector at 5 pm,” Defense ministry spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.
