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10-yr-old killed in Pak shelling

Pakistani forces used heavy-calibre, long-range weapons to inflict maximum damage, sparking panic in villages along the LoC as shells landed into residential areas

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An injured being taken to a hospital in Jammu on Monday
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Two civilians, including a 10-year-old boy, were killed and 12 others injured, four of them critically, in the Pakistan Army's unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Indian forward posts in Jammu's Poonch on Monday.

Pakistani forces used heavy-calibre, long-range weapons to inflict maximum damage, sparking panic in villages along the LoC as shells landed into residential areas.

"Pakistan Army used small arms, automatics and mortars along the Line of Control (LoC). Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively", said Colonel NN Joshi, Defence Spokesman at Udhampur-based Northern Command Headquarters.

The Pakistan Army shelled five villages of Kerni and Digwar sectors.

"Asrar Ahmed, 10, died on the spot, while Mohammad Rafiq 25, and Rashmi Bi 45, received injuries in the Kerni sector", said a police spokesperson.

The Pakistan Army also shelled civilian areas in the Digwar sector where A Jasmin Akhtar, 15, was killed and 10 others were injured. The injured include five-year-old Zobia Kousar.

"Around five villages have been affected by the cross-border shelling. However there is no migration so far. We have set up shelter houses where we could shift villagers. But people are not willing to leave their houses due to livelihood issues", said Tariq Ahmad Zargar, Deputy Commissioner of Poonch.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has now put the construction of underground community bunkers on fast track so that civilians living along vulnerable stretches are saved during cross-border shelling.

"Work on 40 bunkers is underway and it will take one month to complete the construction. We will increase the number", said Zargar

This year, six civilians and seven security men have been killed in cross-border shelling in Poonch.

"We have set up helplines and asked villagers to use them in emergency situations. We have also kept our medical staff on high alert. Ambulances have been kept ready to meet any exigencies. Our first endeavour remains to evacuate the injured", he said

There have been 285 ceasefire violations this year by the Pakistani Army. Around 228 such incidents were reported along the LoC in 2016.

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