Baramulla: Four civilians and three Army men were injured in firing from Pakistani side as armies of India and Pakistan exchanged fire and shelling along Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday.
Locals said that Pakistan and Indian Army exchanged light and heavy gun and artillery fire. Pakistan troops fired shells at several locations in Hajipeer sector including Churanda village near LoC in Uri in the afternoon around 3: 50 pm. The shelling stopped at around 4:15 pm.
“Such was the intensity of shelling that mortar shells landed in Sukard village near Uri town and Churanda village and adjacent forest areas,” said locals.
“Three person including a woman, girl and minor boy were injured and two residential house were damaged – one at Tilawari and another at Abdal Churanda in Uri. Panic also gripped Uri town when a heavy mortar shell landed in Sukard village adjacent to the town” said Sarpanch Churanda, Lal Din Khatana.
The shelling continued intermittently for some time creating panic in Chrunda, Batgran, Hathlanga, Mothal, Sahoora, Silikote, Balkote, Nambla, Garkote areas, he added.
“It is all smoke and explosions of motor shells which we can hear and see. Panic has gripped the border villages here. Three civilians got injured so far,” Lal Din told Kashmir Images on phone. However there were no reports of causality.
“While people are staying indoors to protect themselves from Covid-19, we had to rush out of our homes to save lives,” he added.
The injured were identified as Shanaza Bano (12) daughter of Bashir Ahmad and Thaira Bano (30) wife of liyaqat Ali, Touseef Ahmad Khatana (4) son of Bashir Ahmad Khatana and Hassan Bi wife of Husan Din Koli, all residents of Churanda village.
Locals said that the residential house of Hassan Din Kholi son of Alam Din Kholi of Churanda and residential house of Naseer Ahmad son of Bashir Ahmad Tilwari near (LoC) suffered damages after being hit by mortar shells fired from across the LoC while as a dozen residential houses suffered partial damage in Hajipeer sector.
Meanwhile, three soldiers were injured as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC on Friday by resorting to unprovoked firing, a defence spokesperson said here.
“On 01 May 2020, at about 1530 hours, Pakistan initiated an unprovoked ceasefire violation (CFV) along the LoC in Rampur Sector, District Baramulla,” defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said in a statement.
He said three soldiers were injured in the ceasefire violation.
“Indian Army is retaliating befittingly,” he added.
